


Bad Romance

by QianLan



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Anxiety Attacks, Bickering, Canon-Typical Violence, Cheesy Romance Novels, Established Relationship, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Stormpilot, role play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:29:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 36,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7848733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QianLan/pseuds/QianLan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five times Poe and Finn re-enacted scenes from Poe’s cheesy romance novel collection, and the one time things got just a bit too real (and the one extra added piece of fluff at the end).</p><p>While each chapter exists in the same narrative universe, they can all stand alone as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Pirate and the Prince

**Author's Note:**

> If you’ve read the other works in this series, some of the references here will make a bit more sense, but just for a quick primer: in The Knight’s Dilemma, Poe and Finn basically use a cheesy romance novel to get past the “I have a crush on him but I’m afraid to tell him stage;” and in Jogan Fruit Jam, Poe makes a passing remark about their proclivity for re-enacting romance novels, which was how this fic was born. So here, we see a bit more of how that particular kink plays out in their relationship.
> 
>  
> 
> All of the chapters are happening in the same narrative universe, but each chapter can also stand on its own.

 

The more of these silly novels that Finn read ( _damn you, Poe, for turning me onto these things!_ ), the more the idea seeped in. 

 

He’d be reading an especially hot scene and suddenly, he’d be picturing Poe...Poe as the dashing young thief trying to escape the Hutts and ending up with his back pressed against a wall while Finn pounded into him; Poe as the jaded moisture farmer and Finn as the man who melts his heart; Poe as a prince and Finn as a pirate… 

 

Finn licked his lips.

 

 _Mature adult conversation_ , he told himself.  _I just need to tell Poe what I want and hope he’s willing to go along with it._

 

Thirty seconds into the conversation, Finn realized he shouldn’t have worried.  Poe was not only on board with the idea; he very enthusiastically started making plans…

 

**# # # #**

 

**_The Pirate and the Prince_ , page 193:**

Dex stood in the shadows watching Raymound’s men load the transport.  Tomorrow, Raymound would be married and then he and his princess would fly to Coruscant for the beginning of a year-long honeymoon.

 

Dex couldn’t pin down what he was feeling as the men loaded food and clothing onto the ship.  Anger, jealousy, sadness, regret, it all seemed to blend together.  _Why am I even here_ , he thought.  It was bad enough that he was on a core world—he may have given up his ship and the pirating life, but there was still a price on his head—but to be standing in the shadows of the palace was stupid.  If someone spotted him, there wouldn’t be a trial.  If he was lucky, they’d throw him in the dungeons.  Most likely, they’d simply shoot him.

 

Dex’s breath caught when Raymound appeared.  The Prince looked so different now—smiling, clean, and dressed in the elegant robes of his people.  Raymound walked up the ramp, supervising the last of the items coming in and then laughed with the man in charge of loading the transport. 

 

After a few minutes, all of the workers left.  Raymound stood alone at the top of the ramp, framed by the light from the ship.  Dex stood in the darkness, feeling the chill in the air, and he tried to tell himself that he could go now.  _I only wanted to see him, and I’ve done that_ , he said to himself.  But his legs weren’t moving.  His eyes wouldn’t budge from Raymound’s form. 

 

Raymound walked back into the ship, and Dex found himself drawn to it.  Even though he knew this was stupid, knew he was going to get caught and then get killed, he didn’t stop.  In fact, as he reached the ramp, he sped up, jogging up it and then pressing the button at the top so that the ramp would close.

 

“Hey!” came a voice from the cockpit.  “I’m still in here—” 

 

Raymound froze as he took in Dex.  The look on his face was inscrutable.  Dex wanted to speak, but he suddenly found he couldn’t.  “Dex, what are you doing here,” Raymound asked quietly.

 

“I…I…”  _Dammit, I used to be a pirate.  I used to stare down Hutts for a living and laugh at Imperial troopers.  I can do this_.  Dex tried to sound casual and self-assured.  “I hear you’re getting married tomorrow.”

 

Raymound nodded.  “I am.”

 

“I hear she’s lovely.”

 

Raymound tensed slightly.  “She is.”

 

“Do you love her,” Dex asked, hoping against hope that the fear didn’t bleed through his voice.

 

“What,” Raymound asked.  “What kind of question is that?”

 

“A simple one.  Do you love her?”

 

“I’m marrying her, aren’t I,” Raymound said, turning back to the cockpit, where he began flipping switches.

 

Dex pressed forward.  “That’s still not an answer!”

 

Raymound turned and spat out, “Well, I’m sorry, but it’s the only answer you’re going to get.”  He turned back to the console.  “What are you even doing here?  I would’ve thought you’d be off spending your reward.”

 

For some reason, Dex found hope in the anger in Raymound’s voice.  “I didn’t take the reward.  Rest of the crew did.  That’s when I left the Spider.”  


“So who are you flying with now?” Raymound’s voice had lost a bit of its edge.

 

“No one.  Decided that it might be time to look into alternative occupations.  Something a bit more legal or at least a bit more respectable.”

 

Raymound spun around.  “You gave it up?”

 

Dex leaned against the door and nodded.  “Seemed like the right thing to do.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

Dex looked down.  “Would it have mattered?”  _This was a mistake_. “You’re a prince and I’m…”  Dex turned and began to walk back to the ramp.  “I shouldn’t have come.”

 

Raymound followed.  “So you’re just running away…again?””

 

Dex spun.  “And what’s it to you, _highness_?”

 

Raymound crossed the space between them in four quick steps.  “You are an arrogant, ungrateful, lying piece of—”

 

“Ungrateful?  How am I ungrateful?”

 

They were speaking over each other.

 

“You have the nerve to show up here…”

 

“…so blasted important because you’re a prince…”

 

“…fearsome pirate who loves ‘em and leaves ‘em…”

 

“…made it clear that I wasn’t worthy….”

 

As they kept yelling, suddenly their hands were grasping at each other’s clothes.  Dex was pulling off Raymound’s robes.  Raymound was untying Dex’s shirt.

 

“…and another thing…”

 

“…egotistical, nerferding…”

 

“…irritating…”

 

“…starry-eyed moof-milking…”

 

Dex started laughing.  He stepped away from Raymound, his pants bunched around his boots.  He began kicking them off as he tried to catch his breath.  “I’m…I’m…I’m what?”

 

Raymound crossed his arms in front of his naked torso.  “I believe I called you a starry-eyed moof-milking nit wit.”

 

Dex pitched forward into another round of guffaws.  “That’s what I thought.”  He looked up at Raymound and shook his head.  “Is that the best they can teach you in prince school?”  He finally got both boots off and stepped out of his pants.

 

Raymound crowded into Dex’s space, grabbing Dex’s shoulders.  His voice was low and dangerous.  “Why are you here, Dex?”

 

Dex looked up at Raymound and suddenly all mirth was gone.  “Don’t marry her.”

 

“Why not,” Raymound whispered.

 

“Because…”  Dex took in a deep breath.  _Just say it.  Just say it, dammit._   “Because…” 

 

Raymound waited two seconds before he pushed away from Dex.  “You should go,” he said, bending down to retrieve his robes.  He started walking to the cockpit.

 

“I love you,” Dex said.

 

Raymound stopped.  He didn’t speak; he didn’t move.  Dex couldn’t even be sure if he was still breathing.

 

“I said I love you,” Dex said louder.

 

Raymound still didn’t respond.

 

“Did you hear me, you spoiled brat?” Dex said, stomping over to the other man.  He grabbed Raymound’s arm and spun him around.  “I love you!”

 

Raymound’s eyes were full of tears.  He dropped the robes and launched himself at Dex, pressing his lips into Dex’s, wrapping his arms around him. 

 

Dex surrendered into the kiss with a low moan, and as his hands began moving over Raymound’s…

 

 

 

“What’s got you so focused?” Poe’s voice cut through the magical fog Finn was in.

 

Finn’s entire body reacted.  _Nooooooo!_   _It was just getting to the good part!_

 

 _Play it cool. Play it cool._   “One of your novels,” Finn said.  “Ummmmmm, _The Pirate and the Prince_.”

 

Poe smiled.  “That’s a good one.”  He thumped down onto his bed, kicking off his boots.  “But I thought my taste in romance novels was, and I quote _abysmal_.”

 

“It is,” Finn said.  _Doesn’t mean parts of them aren’t good_.  “I was bored.”

 

“Ummm-hmmmm,” Poe said, not believing a word of it.  “What part are you at?”

 

“Dex has just confronted Raymound on the transport, told him that he loves him.”

 

Poe chuckled.  “That’s the best part.”  He shook his head.  “Man, the sex in that scene…”

 

 _Yeah Dameron?  You mean the sex you interrupted?_   “It’s good?”

 

Poe’s eyes suddenly got smoky and seductive.  Poe raised an eyebrow.  “I could give you a demonstration.”

 

Finn laughed.  “Does that,” Finn gestured to Poe’s face, “really work on people?”

 

Poe leaned forward.  “I don’t know.  Does it?”

 

Finn wiped a tear from his eye, he laughed so hard.  “You’re as bad as the characters from these books.”

 

He saw the moment the idea bloomed in Poe’s head.  Poe sat up, his face full of hope.  “Poe?”

 

“You know, next week, we’re due to bring in a bunch of retired and decommissioned Republic ships.  There has to be an old transport among the loot.”

 

Finn couldn’t help his smile.  “And you think we could…”

 

Poe tried to sound casual, “I mean after that conversation we had a few weeks ago, I just thought that...  I mean, you were up for it with _The Knight’s Dilemma_.” 

 

Finn couldn’t help the shudder that passed through him at the thought of that night. 

Poe leaned in closer, whispering in Finn’s ear, “Remember how hot it was?”

 

Finn closed his eyes; he loved the warmth of Poe’s breath on his neck.  “Ummmmm,” Finn hummed.  “I like to think most of that was us.”

 

“True,” Poe said, kissing around Finn’s ear.  “But the prompt didn’t hurt.”

 

“No,” Finn agreed.  “It didn’t.”  As Poe licked a particularly sensitive spot on Finn’s neck, Finn moaned.

 

“So what do you say, baby?”

 

“Hmmmm?” Finn said, lost in what Poe’s very dangerous tongue was currently doing to the back of his neck.  A brush of stubble and Finn couldn’t remember his own name.  “Ohhhhhh, yeah.”

 

Poe chuckled.  “I’m going to take that as a yes.”  He then refocused on the task at hand.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn sat in the hangar watching Poe and the other pilots as they climbed over, around, and through a set of ships that the Resistance had manage to “inherit” from the Republic.  Poe jogged over.  “Most of ‘em aren’t as bad as they look.  A little tinkering and some upgrades and we’re gonna have a decent fleet to work with.  Well, at least by our standards.”  He flopped down onto the ground next to Finn and leaned in.  “And there’s a small transport over there,” Poe pointed with his chin, “that I think might be perfect…”

 

Finn blushed and coughed loudly as a tech walked by.  Poe smiled.  “In all the years of my life, I’m pretty sure I’m never going to get over bashful Finn.”

 

“It’s more ‘ _likes to keep his sex life private’_ Finn,” Finn whispered. 

 

Poe laughed.  “Then we should probably both learn to be a bit quieter.”

 

Finn shook his head, refusing to think about who shared walls with either him or Poe.

 

Poe bumped his shoulder into Finn’s.  “So, speaking of operation…Pirate’s Booty…”

 

“We are NOT calling it that!”

 

“Oh come on!  It’s perfect!”

 

Finn leveled his best _don’t-mess-with-me-Dameron_ look at Poe.  “Pick another name, Poe.”

 

“Fine.  Operation…oh, I don’t know.  Operation…”  Poe chuckled.  “Seriously, buddy, I can’t think of another name.  Pirate’s Booty is just so perfect.  It works on so many levels.”

 

Finn ignored him.  “Operation Poe’s Pushing His Luck.  Now, what about it?”

 

Poe pretended to pout.  “Fine.  Operation Poe’s Pushing His Luck should be a go in about three days, assuming we’re both on base.”

 

Finn tensed slightly.  That was always a big assumption to make.  The likelihood that Poe might get sent out on a mission was always high, and now that Finn had become a full-fledged member of the Pathfinders, he could be leaving at any time as well.

 

Poe took Finn’s hand.  “Hope for the best, Finn.”

 

Finn nodded.  “So, three days from now.”

 

“And I’ll make sure to assign the work rotations so no one is in that part of the hangar.”

 

“Sounds good,” Finn said, still a little distracted by the possibility that they could be planning this little rendezvous and never get to see it through.

 

Poe squeezed his hand.  “Come back to me, babe.”

 

Finn blinked.  “Yeah, sorry.  It’s just…”

 

Poe nodded, “I know.”  He brought Finn’s hand up to his mouth and lightly pressed his lips to Finn’s knuckles.  After a moment, he said, “So that just leaves us figuring out who is going to be the prince and who is going to be the pirate.”

 

Finn said, “Well, that’s easy.”

 

“I thought so too.”

 

At the same time, they both said, “You should be the prince.”

 

“Wait, what?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Poe let go of Finn’s hand.  “You think _I_ should be the prince?”

 

“Of course!  Look at you!  You’re just the type.”  Finn leaned in close, as if sharing the biggest secret of his life with Poe.  “Every time I read one of those kriffing novels about a prince, I always imagine it’s you.”

 

Poe pulled back, stunned.  “Me?”

 

Finn nodded.

 

“Scruffy, hotshot pilot me?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Poe burst out laughing.  Finn looked hurt.  “No, Finn.  I’m sorry.  I’m not laughing at you.  I just…I’m the least princely person in the entire galaxy.”

 

“Not to me,” Finn said quietly.

 

Poe was pretty sure his heart broke into a million pieces at that.

 

“Besides,” Finn said.  “It isn’t much of a leap to go from Stormtrooper to pirate.”  Finn looked down at the permacrete underneath him.

 

Poe felt the tears in his eyes.  This was supposed to be a sexy role playing fantasy, not anything serious.

 

“Finn,” he said, reaching up and cupping his boyfriend’s face.  “Finn, look at me.”  Finn looked up.  “If you want me to be the prince, I’ll be the prince, but babe, I’ve got to tell you, if there was ever a being in the entire ‘verse who embodied what it means to be a prince, it’s you.  You’re kind; you’re brave; you’re fair; you’re intelligent and witty and beautiful and...and frankly, I am in awe that someone like you chose someone like me.”

 

“You mean the best pilot in the Resistance?”

 

“Well, I mean I might bring something to the table, but…”

 

Finn leaned over and kissed him.  “I love you, Poe Dameron.”  

 

Finn froze.  It was the first time either of them had said that _.  Kriffing hell, I said it way too early.  He’s going to bolt.  He’s going to run.  Oh Kriff!_  

 

Poe’s eyes went wide. 

 

 _Say something you nerfherder!_ Finn thought.  _Don’t leave me hanging like this.  KRIFFFFFF!_

 

The smile that broke across Poe’s face at that moment was unlike any Finn had ever seen the pilot wear.  It was at once full of relief, satisfaction, joy, and wonder.  It was the most beautiful thing Finn had ever seen in his life.

 

“Stars, Finn, I’m so in love with you it hurts.”

 

He surged forward, pulling Finn into a kiss.  Finn could feel the tears running down Poe’s cheeks.  He wrapped his hands around his boyfriend. 

 

For several minutes, they let themselves get lost in the kiss.  Then, Karé walked up to them.  “Poe?  Poe?  Dameron!” she yelled.

 

Poe broke off the kiss, leaving just enough space to talk, but keeping his hand on the back of Finn’s head.  “What is it, Kun,” he growled.

 

“Oh never mind me, only the General and Admiral Statura are headed this way for an update on our progress.  Thought you might want to at least pretend to be doing your job instead of canoodling with Finn.”

 

Finn began laughing.  Poe closed his eyes, hating that he and Finn couldn’t continue this.  “I’ll be right there, Karé.”

 

“Glad to hear it,” she said, walking away.

 

Poe got up.  “And we will be continuing this…conversation later in my room.”

 

“Yes, sir,” Finn said, offering him a lazy salute.

 

“And you are definitely playing the prince, Finn,” Poe said jogging back into the hangar.

 

**# # # #**

 

At this point, Finn was fairly certain that all of the subterfuge, the costumes, the promising they were “really going to get into character,” and all of that was for naught because...  Well, if there was anything better than being with Poe Dameron, it was being with Poe Dameron after you’ve both said “I love you.”

 

Over the previous three days, Finn had had so much sex—so much life affirming, thank-the-maker-I-found-you sex—that he was pretty sure neither of them was going to have the stamina to pull this off anyway.  And he didn’t care.  He couldn’t wipe the stupid grin off his face.  _I love Poe Dameron and Poe Dameron loves me._  

 

And the cherry on top of all of this was that it had been blessedly quiet the past three days; no missions.  No waking up to find the other one gone.  No worrying that he wasn’t coming back.  Three glorious days Finn could bask in something that as a Stormtrooper, he never knew he could have.

 

Finn shook his head as he walked up the ramp of the transport.  _Kriff, I really am becoming as bad as a character in one of those novels…_

 

**# # # #**

 

True to the novel, Poe watched Finn from the shadows, which to be honest, felt a little creepy, but he was determined to play his part and that part required him to be a little creepy.  He watched Finn go inside the transport and was giving him enough time to change into his costume.  He about to make his move when Snap walked by.

 

“Snap!” Poe said, hoping Snap didn’t pay close attention to what he was wearing.

 

“Poe,” Snap nodded.

 

“You’re out here late,” Poe said.  _Please don’t be going to the transport.  Please don’t be going to the transport._

 

“Yeah, I wanted to give that A-wing one last look before I shut down for the night,” Snap said. 

 

Poe breathed an inward sigh of relief.  The A-wing was on the other side of the hangar.  “Good,” Poe said.  “See you tomorrow!”

 

“Tomorrow,” Snap echoed, walking away.

 

As Poe started for the transport, he missed Snap turn and give Poe’s outfit a befuddled once over.  Snap shrugged and continued to the A-wing.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe closed the transport ramp and heaved out an audible sigh.  He then squared his shoulders.  _Time to be a pirate_.

 

Finn’s voice carried out of the cockpit.  “Hey, I’m still in here…”  He came to the door and started giggling.

 

Poe tried to keep a straight face, but almost immediately smiled.  “Finn!”

 

“Sorry, Poe, it’s just you looked so serious and…”  He couldn’t talk for laughing so hard.

 

Poe walked over to him.  “I thought we were supposed to stay in character.”

 

“I know!” Finn said, trying to catch his breath.  “I’m sorry, babe.  It’s just…” He smiled.  “This was a lot easier when we didn’t have to talk.”  Finn took a deep breath and settled his face.  “I’m good.  I can do this.”

 

Poe nodded and realized it was taking all of his self-control not to laugh.  _Don’t break character.  Don’t break character_.

 

Poe walked back over to the ramp and turned.

 

Finn’s entire countenance had changed.  He fixed a steely glare on Poe.  “What are you doing here?”

 

 _Don’t laugh.  Don’t laugh.  Don’t laugh_.  Poe managed to sputter out, “I hear you’re getting married tomorrow.”

 

Finn nodded.  “I am.”

 

“You love her?” Poe said.  For some reason, Finn being serious made Poe want to giggle.  _Keep it together, Dameron_.

 

“I’m marrying her, aren’t I,” Finn said, turning and moving into the cockpit.

 

Poe followed.  “That’s not an answer!”  As he burst into the cockpit, he saw Finn smiling, trying hard not to laugh.  Poe broke, “Why is this so hard?”

 

Finn shook his head.  “I don’t know!”  He was trying to catch his breath.  “You’re a spy.  And I was a kriffing Stormtrooper!  I had to act all the time.”

 

Poe raised an eyebrow.

 

Finn leaned back onto the console.  “The First Order aren’t big fans of sympathy, being nice, not enjoying killing innocent villagers.  Kind of had to learn how to hide a lot.  Even with the helmet.”  Finn saw Poe about to transition into his overprotective I-hate-what-they-did-to-you mode, so he quickly added, “I should be able to say a few cheesy lines from a trashy romance novel without laughing.”

 

Finn slid into the pilot’s chair, shaking his head.  He smiled up at Poe who crossed over to him.  “I kind of like that you’re so earnest,” Poe said.

 

“Earnest?”

 

“It’s a word,” Poe said, taking Finn’s hands and interlacing their fingers.

 

“I know it’s a word, Dameron.  It just seemed a little extravagant.”  Finn looked at their fingers, marveling in how something so simple could feel so reassuring.

 

“I’ll try to dumb down my compliments from now on,” Poe said, tugging.

 

Finn stood up, “Thanks.”  He leaned in for a quick kiss.

 

“Welcome,” Poe said, kissing him again.

 

“So should we…”  Finn kissed Poe, letting himself linger this time.

 

As Finn finally pulled back, Poe said, “Yeah, probably should…”  He came back in for another kiss.

 

“Ummmmmmmm,” Finn hummed. 

 

Poe pulled back.  “Huh?”

 

“Shhhhhhhhh,” Finn said, wrapping his hands tightly around Poe’s waist and dragging him into another kiss.  “Stop talking.”

 

Poe broke off the kiss just long enough to say, “You’re the one still talking.”

 

“Shhhhhhhhh.”  Finn moved to Poe’s neck and quickly sucked a bruise on Poe’s collarbone. 

 

“Ohhhhhhhh,” Poe said.  “That escalated quickly.”

 

“Shut up, Poe,” Finn said nuzzling into his boyfriend’s neck.

 

Poe smiled and opened his mouth to deliver another quip.  Finn suddenly took Poe’s face in his hands.  “Shut up, Poe, and convince me not to marry that girl tomorrow.”  He pressed his lips into Poe’s. 

 

Poe smiled and grabbed Finn’s shoulders, guiding him to the pilot’s seat.  He pressed Finn down into it and then landed on his knees in front of him.  He began pushing up the robes of Finn’s costume.  When his hands found Finn’s legs, he began rubbing up and down Finn’s thighs.  He suddenly stilled.  “You’re not wearing underwear.”

 

Finn laughed.  “I thought the whole point was that we were going to have sex, so I didn’t see the need.”

 

“Oh, I’m not complaining,” Poe said.  He began tunneling his head under the robes.  “I’m a big fan of Finn without underwear.  Finn without clothes.  Finn naked all of the time.”  He pulled his head back out.  “That one’s my favorite.”  His head then disappeared.

 

Finn could feel light kisses moving up the insides of his thighs.  He began pulling at the robes, trying to get them over his head, wanting to watch, needing to see where Poe was going to go next.  Poe sucked right at the juncture of his thigh and his torso.  Finn nearly jumped out of the seat.  “Force, Poe!”

 

“Got to make sure you don’t marry that princess,” Poe chuckled, focusing on the other side.

 

Poe’s hands slipped under Finn’s ass and were kneading it.  “Finn,” he said, squeezing a handful.  “You have the most perfect ass in the galaxy.”  Poe began kissing Finn’s stomach.  “I want to write songs about it,” he said.  “Or…or…”  Poe’s focus was lost on the beautiful trail of hair leading down to Finn’s cock.

 

He licked his lips and then looked up at Finn and smiled.

 

This was Finn’s favorite part. 

 

Sex with Poe was usually pretty great, and Finn wasn’t going to knock orgasms or those long, drawn out kisses where your lips get so sensitive it almost hurts, but for him, there was one moment—a moment that always seemed to happen with Poe—that was unsurpassed.  Just before the foreplay turned into something more involved, Poe would look up at him and smile—it was the kind of smile children wore on Life Day or that someone wore on their wedding day: filled to the brim with the anticipation of something you know, without any doubt, is going to be wonderful.  _Every kriffing time_. 

 

Finn would cross through hell itself if he got to keep seeing that look on Poe’s face for the rest of his life.

 

Poe was already kissing up and down Finn’s cock by the time Finn came back to himself.  He took a deep breath and let himself get lost in the sensations.

 

There was no finesse in this.  Poe knew that.  He simply wanted to get his mouth on Finn’s cock any way he could.  He licked at it, sucked at the head; he sloppily moved his mouth around it.  It didn’t matter, so long as he got to do this, taste Finn, enjoy the sensation of Finn filling up his mouth.  He kissed the head and twisted his tongue around it.  He looked up at Finn through his eyelashes, pulling his mouth away just long enough to say, “I kriffing love this, you know?”

 

Finn smiled at him.  “I hope so.”

 

Finn leaned back, staring down at Poe.  Poe took the head into his mouth, sucking at it, playing with it.  He then licked a long stripe up Finn’s cock, his whole body bouncing, and Finn could feel the smile on Poe’s lips as Poe’s eyes met his yet again.  Finn moved his hand to touch Poe’s cheek before Poe refocused, swallowing Finn up and going all the way down his shaft.

 

Finn’s head fell back.  Poe’s mouth felt so good.  Finn started breathing in short bursts in rhythm with Poe’s movements. 

 

Poe’s hand snaked up Finn’s chest and found his pecks, massaging them, reaching for a nipple, squeezing it, and laughing as Finn made a surprised noise.

 

Poe closed his eyes and swirled his tongue around the head of Finn’s cock again.  He needed this—the feel of Finn in his mouth, the heat of him, the small needy noises Finn was making—it filled his senses and made him feel whole.  The whole universe condensed into this one act.  He swallowed down, smiling as Finn’s hairs tickled at his nose.  He slowly drew his mouth back up, humming he was so damn happy.

 

Finn’s hand slipped into Poe’s hair.  He tangled his fingers in the curls, loving the sensation of Poe’s soft hair brushing against his skin. 

 

Poe hollowed out his cheeks and began moving in earnest.  Finn’s hand clenched in Poe’s hair and his hips started bucking forward.  Before he could worry that he’d hurt Poe, he heard Poe hum, and then he tightened his grip slightly to give the gentlest of tugs.  Poe made a growling noise that just about did Finn in.

 

Finn exhaled.  “Won’t be long now,” he managed, his other hand finding the back of Poe’s head to hold him right there.  “Ah, stars, Poe, that’s perfect, that’s…”  He gasped in a quick breath.  “Yeah, that’s it.”  Poe took him all the way in, deep throating him and Finn felt himself tumble over the edge.  He opened his mouth to speak but instead, he gave out a garbled yell as his hips thrust out.  His whole body jerked so violently, he felt like he was going to fall out of the seat.

 

Finn came and came and Poe was swallowing it all down, loving the startled look on his boyfriend’s face and just how tightly he’d wound his fingers into Poe’s hair. 

 

For a moment, neither of them moved.  Then, Finn seemed to find himself.  His muscles slowly relaxed and he sank back down into the chair, eventually letting go of Poe’s hair (which, if Poe was being honest, was the worst—he loved it when Finn got rough with his curls).

 

Finn was taking huge breaths.  His eyes were closed.

 

“You okay, sweetie?” Poe asked, wiping his mouth.

 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?”

 

“I’m good,” Poe said.  “You look positively wrecked.”

 

“Cause I am positively wrecked.”

 

He opened his eyes, looking down at Poe, who was still kneeling in front of him.  “I love you, Poe.”

 

“So I guess that means you won’t be marrying the princess tomorrow after all.”

 

Finn chuckled.  “No, I think you’re safe.”

 

Poe smiled and stood, and Finn noticed a very well-defined bulge in Poe’s pants.  He looked up at Poe and raised an eyebrow.

 

“I’m fine, Finn.  I like getting you off.”

 

Finn reached out, grabbing Poe’s hip and pulling him forward.  “Yeah, well, I like getting you off too.”

 

“But you don’t have—”

 

“Shhhhhh,” Finn insisted, unbuttoning the front of Poe’s pants. 

 

As Poe’s cock sprang free, Finn made a pleased little noise that Poe felt tingle across his entire body.  Finn wrapped his hand around Poe, sliding his thumb across the head where precum was already freely leaking.  He slowly let his thumb circle the head.

 

Poe took in a sharp breath.  “Not gonna take long,” he whispered.

 

Finn smiled.  “I know.”  He looked up at Poe as his hand began to move up and down, up and down, slowly.  “You always get so excited.”  He twisted his hand and Poe rocked forward.

 

“So responsive,” Finn hummed, leaning forward to kiss Poe’s stomach.  He squeezed his hand just a bit tighter, twisting again. 

 

Poe went up on his toes and grabbed at Finn’s shoulders to steady himself.  “Kriff, Finn,” he managed.

 

Finn started moving faster.  He moved his other hand down to massage Poe’s balls, cupping them, loving the warmth of them.  Poe began moaning.  “That’s it, baby,” Finn said.  “Let me hear how good it feels.”

 

Poe’s whole body was thrusting into it now.  “Not gonna,” he gulped in a breath and screwed his eyes shut.  “Not…”  Poe’s fingers dug into Finn’s shoulder as he shouted through the orgasm.  “Finn,” he yelled, hot come spurting onto Finn’s chest.  Poe’s body spasmed and his mouth stayed open in a lovely O as he slowly rocked back onto his heels.

 

For a moment, Finn sat there captivated by the sight of Poe post-orgasm: sweat glistening off his forehead; his curls sticking to it.  Lips swollen and his whole body shaking slightly.  Poe’s eyes were closed, but those long eyelashes were fluttering as he tried to open them.

 

Finn slipped his hand off of Poe’s cock, and Poe let out a small whimper.  Finn let the sound wash over him and he smiled.

 

Finn sighed and looked around for something to clean them both off with.  He settled for the shirt he’d worn into the transport.

 

“Don’t you need that,” Poe asked, his eyes finally opening.

 

Finn smiled.  “You’re back with us.”

 

Poe leaned forward and kissed Finn.  “Yeah,” he breathed out.  “Barely.”

 

Finn stood and finished cleaning them off.  “I’ll just wear the robes back to the room.  Shouldn’t be too many people out at this time of night, and they’re easier,” he said, pulling the robes up over his head.

 

Poe smiled.  “You look good in them.”  He added, “You make a good prince, Finn.”

 

Finn laughed.  “I still think you’d make a good prince, too.”

 

They looked around. 

 

“Got everything?” Finn asked.

 

Poe nodded and then yawned.  “Re-enacting romance novels is tiring.”

 

Finn shook his head.  “Especially when we don’t really end up re-enacting them.”

 

**# # # #**

“Poe.  Finn.” 

 

The voice startled both men, who turned to see Snap sitting on some crates in the shadow of the transport.  He was flicking through a datapad, seemingly absorbed in his task.

 

“Snap,” Poe said.  “How’s the A-wing?”

 

“Looks good.  Should be ready to take up tomorrow.”

 

“Good,” Poe said.  _Do I sound casual?  I hope I sound casual._

 

Finn added, just a bit too loudly, “Well, goodnight then, Snap!”  He waved.  _Is waving too much?  Crap, I’m wearing the robes._

 

“’Night” Snap said, his eyes never lifting from the datapad.

 

“’Night,” Poe repeated.

 

As Poe and Finn left the hangar, Finn looked to Poe.  _Do you think?_

 

Poe answered the unspoken question.  “I don’t think so?”  After a few more feet, he added, “Nah.  Snap would tease us mercilessly if he knew.”  He turned to look back at the hangar.  “Nah.  We’re good.”  He wrapped his arm around Finn.  “We’re golden.”

 

**# # # #**

 

In the hangar, Snap hummed to himself as he finished typing.  He switched off the datapad and stretched his neck.  He jumped off the crate, stopped, and turned back on the datapad.

 

He added one entry to his to do list for the next day.  “Make sure sanitation re-clean the small transport.”  He smiled and shook his head _._

 

 


	2. The Moisture Farmer's Delight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and Finn end up in the desert. It’s hot; it’s itchy, and the sand’s getting everywhere. Their contact is missing and their tempers are flaring. Time to re-enact a scene from The Moisture Farmer’s Delight?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because sometimes even these fluffballs can't stand each other...

 

 

Finn scanned the screen.  He hated to admit it, but he was running out of new romance novels to read.  He’d already been through most of Poe’s collection, and he wasn’t quite ready to start buying them on his own—although he had a sinking suspicion that was going to start happening very soon. 

 

_When did this become my thing_ , he asked himself as his eyes lingered on a title that he’d seen—and skipped—several times before: _The Moisture Farmer’s Delight_ by Twem-mee Lynix.

 

He groaned.  _Has it really come to this?_

 

All of Poe’s romance novels were cheesy, but this one sounded the cheesiest.  He sighed and scrolled through the synopsis:

 

_A Moisture Farmer’s life isn’t easy—out working in the desert, you’ve got to learn to tolerate a lot of heat._

 

Finn rolled his eyes, but forced himself to continue.

 

_Kal Bingim is a man with a painful past…_

_Kal came to Tatooine ten years ago after the death of his lover.  He came to disappear, to forget, and over the years, he’s learned to accept the solitary life of a moisture farmer.  That is all he needs.  There’s no room for love._

 

“Of course, there isn’t,” Finn muttered.  “I wonder if anything could possibly change that…”

 

_Asey Jynn is a man on the run from the law…_

_Accused of a crime he didn’t commit, Asey needs to find a place to hide and figures Tatooine is as good a place as any.  But he quickly runs afoul of the gangs in Mos Eisley and finds himself on the run yet again._

_When Asey stumbles onto the lonely moisture farm, he figures maybe his luck is changing, and when he sees the strapping farmer who runs the place, he can’t help but hope he might be able to get the man into a few compromising positions while he hides from the law._

“Because sure, stranger, come into my home and hey, while you’re here, why don’t we have sex,” Finn said to the screen.  “Like that’s believable.”

_Kal doesn’t know what to make of this secretive outsider, but he knows he can’t just throw him back to the wolves._

“Sure he can,” Finn said.

 

_The attraction is undeniable.  But will that be enough to melt Kal’s heart and clear Asey’s name?_

 

“Oh please,” Finn groaned, far too loudly, thankful that Poe was still in the mess.

 

He put the datapad down and shook his head.  _Is this really what I’ve come to?_

 

 

 

Poe found him, engrossed in the novel, ten minutes later.

 

 

**# # # #**

 

“I would like to go on record as saying that I am sick and tired of desert planets.  There have to be other places where we could meet informants,” Finn said, staring out at the seemingly endless dunes just outside the remote village where he and Poe were currently waiting.

 

Poe chuckled.  “You’d think, but for some reason, we always end up in the sand.”  He sat down next to Finn and bumped his shoulder into Finn’s.  “Come on, it’s not that bad.”

 

Finn shot him a look and then very deliberately wiped the sweat off his brow.  “Yeah, Dameron, it is.”

 

“At least we didn’t crash a TIE to get here?” Poe offered.

 

Finn begrudgingly agreed, “I guess.”

 

“And the villagers are nice,” Poe added.

 

“Yeah,” Finn said.

 

“Oh come on, Finn.  It’s not that bad.”

 

“I don’t like sand, Poe.  Don’t make me list the reasons.”  Finn pushed himself up, brushing off the sand and making a point of flicking some of it at the pilot.  “Ugh!  It gets everywhere, Poe.  Everywhere!”

 

He stomped back to the sunken building where they were staying, waiting on their contact, who was late.

 

Poe frowned.  The contact was supposed to give them intel on a new First Order base somewhere in the Arkanis sector.  She was a day late and she hadn’t commed.  That could mean any number of things, but Poe knew it most likely meant she’d been caught. 

 

Poe huffed as he pushed himself up.  _Two more days and if we don’t hear anything…_   He dusted off the sand.  _Come on, universe, we need a win here_.  He slowly walked back to their room.

 

**# # # #**

 

By the next night, Poe couldn’t keep up his cheerful façade any more.  His increasing worry coupled with Finn’s perpetually grouchy mood—he’d just spent twenty minutes on the finer points of why sand was truly awful—meant that their room was feeling increasingly suffocating. 

 

The villagers were kind enough to put them up in an out-of-the-way building, and while no one had said they needed to keep a low profile, both Poe and Finn had been trying to limit their time outside.  Now, they were feeling way too cooped up, and they were beginning to bicker.

 

“I’m just saying…”  


“Yes, I know, Finn, sand is awful.  Deserts are awful.  The heat is awful.  Did I miss anything?”

 

“Sorry, Dameron, I forgot that we’re supposed to _pretend_ to be cheery all the time, even when the mission is falling apart and our contact is probably dead.”

 

“We don’t know that,” Poe said.  “We do not know that.”

 

_I swear, Dameron, could you just cut the optimistic bullshit for once?_   Finn shook his head.  “Why else is she so late?”

 

“Any number of things.  Her ship was damaged; she had to take a detour.  I don’t know!”  He stood and began pacing.  “But I’m not giving up on her yet.”

 

“Great,” Finn grumbled.

 

_I love you, Finn, but right now you are wearing on my very last nerve._ “Seriously, what is with you?”  Poe wasn’t quite yelling, but it was close.  “You are ALWAYS the adult; you’re the calm, cool, collected one.  But four days in the desert and you fall apart?”

 

Finn stood and crowded Poe.  “I don’t—”

 

“I swear if you are about to say _I don’t like sand_ , I’m gonna take a swing at you, Finn.”

 

Finn bit out a laugh.  “I’d like to see that.”

 

“You think I can’t take you?”

 

“I think that there’s a reason you’re a pilot and I’m a Pathfinder.”

 

“Oh, it is so on, Finn,” Poe said, rolling up his sleeves.

 

“Yeah, Dameron?” Finn said, pulling off his shirt.

 

_FUCK_ , Poe’s mind shifted from fury to lust in less than a second.  Then, he realized he was staring.  “ _The Moisture Farmer’s Delight_ ,” Poe blurted out.

 

“What?”

 

_What the fuck, Dameron?_   Poe panicked.  _Work with it.  Desert location.  Two men in a cramped space._  “Uh, I said, _The Moisture Farmer’s Delight_.  I know you’ve read it.”

 

“Yeah, and?”

 

Poe gestured around.  “It isn’t Tatooine, but…”

 

“I’m sorry.  Did I miss the part where you transitioned from wanting to punch me into wanting to fuck me?”

 

Poe tried to act suave.  “Yeah, well…”  _So much for smooth_.  He shrugged.  “Would you rather be fighting or fucking, Finn?”

 

Finn charged at him and for a split second Poe wasn’t sure which one Finn was going to go with until Finn’s hands grabbed at either side of his face.  Finn pulled him in close and then stopped just short of a kiss.  “I’m still mad at you, Dameron,” he growled.

 

“Yeah, well, you’re not my favorite person right now, either, Finn,” Poe said.  Then, after a beat, he asked, “So, we gonna do this or what?”

 

Finn moved a hand up into Poe’s curls and dragged Poe in for a rough kiss.  As it broke, Finn began unbuttoning his pants.  “You’re the famer and I’m the criminal?”

 

“Sounds good,” Poe said, pulling off his shirt and then jerking his pants off.

 

“Do we really need to do anything other than…”

 

“Nope, pretty much just need to start fucking.” 

 

Finn maneuvered them to the bed and pushed Poe down on it.  Poe scrambled back, laying down, his legs bent.  Finn climbed on, following him.  He ran his fingernails lightly over Poe’s chest, loving how Poe tensed under him.  He smiled and moved between Poe’s legs.  He grabbed them, yanking Poe towards him.  Poe startled.

 

Finn raised an eyebrow.  _You up for what I’ve got, Dameron?_

 

Poe quickly regained his composure and smirked back at the challenge in Finn’s eyes.  _Bring it on, Finn._

 

“Lube?”

 

Poe nodded to the nightstand.  Finn grabbed it and quickly slicked up his finger.  “Just to be clear, this isn’t gonna be nice.”

 

“Don’t want nice right now, Finn.  Don’t feel _nice_.”

 

“Good.” Finn pushed his finger in. 

 

Poe hissed.

 

“Too much?”

 

“I’ll tell you if it’s too much,” Poe bit out.

 

Finn worked the finger for another few strokes before pulling it out and adding a second.  Poe was already breathing quickly.  Finn soon added a third.  He had a self-satisfied smile on his face as Poe started pushing back against him.

 

“Ready?”

 

Poe nodded.

 

Finn pulled his fingers out and lubed up his cock.  He held it to the entrance and pressed in.  Typically, he took his time, but not tonight.  Tonight, they both needed something different. 

 

Finn immediately started pounding into Poe.  It was rough and mean, and the anger in the air was palpable.  Yet, they both seemed to be feeding off of it.

 

Finn loved the sound of his skin slapping against Poe’s, of the short moans Poe was already making in time with his thrusts.  He thrust harder and Poe got louder. 

 

“Yeah, Dameron, you like that?”

 

Poe’s eyes were fiery as he grunted out, “That all you got, Finn?”

 

Finn reached down, giving Poe’s cock a quick stroke, letting Poe’s sharp gasp wash over him.

 

He grabbed Poe’s legs and pulled one of them to his mouth, closing his eyes and kissing it.  He ran his teeth across Poe’s calf, almost biting him.  _Screw it_ , he thought.  He nipped at the skin and Poe cried out, “yeeessssss.”  It was as if they could fuck away the tension and nerves of the past three days if they just kept going, harder and harder, faster and faster.

 

Finn opened his eyes to see Poe’s hands pushing against the mattress and grabbing at the sheets, trying to find purchase so he could shove back against Finn.  Finn laughed.  He let go of Poe’s legs and grabbed Poe’s hands by the wrists, pinning them both to Poe’s chest.  Poe instinctively tried to pull his hands back, but Finn’s grip was tight.  Finn thrust harder now, pushing himself up using the leverage of Poe’s arms.

 

Poe could see the veins on Finn’s arms—fully extended, muscles flexing as he pressed up harder and harder.  He looked up into Finn’s eyes.  They were predatory, sharp.  It was scary but also arousing as hell.   _He’s going to tear me apart_ , Poe thought.  _And I don’t care_.  Poe’s hands curled into tight fists.  His legs bounced against Finn’s thighs.  He was panting.  _I don’t care._   Poe’s head lolled to the side as he let himself get washed away by the sensation.

 

Finn moved to keep Poe’s wrists trapped against his chest with one hand and brought the other hand over to rub Poe’s thigh.  He began stroking it up and down, pushing into the skin slightly, grabbing at it. 

 

Finn dug his fingers in; it was too much for Poe.  He screwed his eyes shut as he felt himself getting closer.  Finn ran his nails across Poe’s thigh, and Poe threw his head back, letting out a long, low whimper.  His voice was pure anguish as he wailed, “Fiiiiiiiiinnnnnn.”

 

At his name, Finn stilled.  He took in a long breath and looked down at Poe beneath him.  Poe was beyond wrecked; he looked decimated.  _This isn’t right._ Finn took in another long breath. _This isn’t what I want._

 

_Fuck, what are we doing?_   He let go of Poe’s wrists and leg.

 

Poe opened his eyes and stared up at Finn.  The predatory look was gone, replaced by something sad and hurt.  Poe felt like he’d been shot in the chest.  _Baby, please don’t look at me like that._

 

For a moment, they just stared at each other, both of them breathing heavily.

 

Then, Finn surged forward, one hand moving behind Poe’s neck to pull him into a kiss.  Poe’s hands scrambled to find Finn’s head and pull him closer.  Their mouths crashed into each other.

 

As the kiss broke, Finn breathed out, “I’m sorry.”

 

“I’m so sorry,” Poe echoed.  “I love you so much.”  Poe kissed him again.

 

“I love you, too.”  Finn leaned in for another kiss and then another.  He pressed his forehead into Poe’s, not wanting to lose any bit of contact with him.

 

For several minutes, they just kept kissing each other.

 

At some point, though, the kisses started getting incrementally deeper.  Finn’s tongue rolled around Poe’s.  Poe nipped at Finn’s lower lip. 

 

As Poe began licking and kissing at Finn’s jaw, Finn began moving again, but the atmosphere of the room had changed completely.  What had been frenetic and angry was now tender and halting.  A sense of guilt hung in the air, but both of them were trying to ignore it.

 

Finn rolled his hips slowly into Poe.  He snaked the hand on Poe’s neck all the way around to stroke Poe’s cheek.

 

Poe’s hands moved to Finn’s shoulders, holding him there.  He began rocking his hips in time with Finn’s thrusts. 

 

Finn’s mouth moved across Poe’s face.  He kissed his lips, his cheeks, his chin; he needed to kiss as much of Poe as possible, to make this apology in any way he could.

 

Poe panted out, “Kiss me.” Finn’s lips brushed across Poe’s and Poe’s tongue darted into Finn’s mouth, trying to tell Finn all the things he couldn’t say.  _I’m so fucking sorry.  This is all my fault_.  Poe could feel tears leaking from his eyes.

 

Finn rubbed a tear off of Poe’s cheek and had to fight back his own.   _I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean for this to happen_.

 

They lay there slowly rocking into each other, kissing over and over and over again, until neither of them could remember any other movement, until that slow rocking of their bodies was their whole world.

 

Eventually, though, Poe felt it building in him—it was like those first few pebbles that go skittering before a landslide.  He took in a sharp breath.  “Finn,” he said, digging his fingers into Finn’s skin, as if that could slow down the inevitable.  “Finn?”

 

“I’m here.  Come for me, baby,” Finn whispered, tightening his grip on Poe’s neck.

 

Poe’s eyes fluttered closed, tears leaking down his cheeks.  His jaw was moving open and shut in time with Finn’s thrusts.  It was overwhelming—the anger, the guilt, the fear, the love, and then there were the huge tears rolling down his face and a growing feeling in his stomach; it was as if he was being bombarded with sensation.  Poe let out a sob and grabbed for Finn; he needed Finn to anchor him, to help him not fly away into a million pieces.

 

“Finn,” he gasped.

 

That was the singular thought in his head as Poe’s mouth flew open in a noiseless O and he crashed over the edge.  His body jerked as he yelled and come leaked out across both their chests.

 

Finn pulled himself down to Poe, forehead to forehead: _just keep me here, Poe.  Keep me tethered to something real_.  Finn thrust once, twice, and then, he let it overwhelm him.  His body went stiff as he roared through it.  He was coming and yelling and crying and shaking as the sensation blazed white hot through his entire frame.

 

**# # # #**

The room fell silent.

 

After a while, Poe became aware of his breathing: sharp breaths, like someone on the verge of crying.  He could still feel the dampness on his cheeks.

 

Finn took in a large gulping breath and then another, tumbling over beside Poe and rolling onto his back.  He quickly wiped his eyes.

 

Neither spoke.  They hardly moved.

 

One minute passed.  Then another.  And another.

 

Finally, the silence became stifling.

 

Poe pushed himself up so he was sitting.  He wiped his cheeks with the back of his arm and let out a long breath.  “Look, Finn, about earlier…”  He picked up his shirt and cleaned off his stomach.  He held the shirt back for Finn.

 

Finn took the shirt, cleaning himself.  “Forget it.  We’re both anxious, and we’ve been stuck in here for far too long and…”

 

“No,” Poe interrupted.  “It’s not okay.  I said I was gonna take a swing at you.”

 

Finn chuckled.  “Yeah, but that would’ve ended badly for you, and we both know it.”  Finn threw the shirt across the room.

 

“I’m not as hopeless as you make it sound,” Poe grumbled.

 

“Yeah, but I’m that good,” Finn said.

 

_Yeah, he is_ , Poe thought.  “Fine.  But what I’m trying to say is, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have let my nerves get the better of me.”

 

“Me, too.  I…”  Finn frowned.  He looked down at his hands splayed on his chest.  “First time I was ever in a desert, I was ordered to kill innocent people.  Second time, I woke up alone, thinking you were dead.”  Poe turned to watch him.  “I drug that damn jacket with me for what felt like weeks, Poe, and…”  He looked up at Poe.  “I know it all turned out okay and that’s where I met Rey and all, but whenever I see sand, my first reaction is to go back to that feeling of being scared and hot and thirsty and…”  His fingers curled into fists.  “It hurt, you know.  The idea that I’d lost you, that you were dead because I had some crazy idea about breaking out.  It hurt.”

 

Poe slipped a hand down over one of Finn’s fists and squeezed it.  “For what it’s worth, waking up alone on Jakku was pretty nasty on my end, too.  Heck, when I came to, I remembered your name before my own.”

 

“Really?”

 

Poe nodded.

 

Finn broke into a tiny smile.  “Had it bad for me even then, Dameron?”

 

Poe squeezed Finn’s hand again and stood up.  “Pretty much from the moment the helmet came off, Finn.”  He scanned the space for the rest of his clothes.

 

As he began picking them up, the comm unit beeped.

 

Poe turned to Finn, his eyes full of hope.   He smiled.  “No,” he laughed.

 

Poe ran to the unit, “Dameron here.”

 

The message was full of static, but it was their contact.  She’d be landing in just over two hours.  “Sorry about the delay, Poe.  Ran into some mechanical issues and the comm on my ship went out.”

 

“No worries, Leera.  Just glad you could make it.”

 

As he ended the transmission, he breathed a quiet “Thank the maker” under his breath.  Finn came up behind him.  He kissed the back of Poe’s neck.  Finn wrapped his arms around Poe, who then moved his arms to hold Finn’s in place.

 

“Sorry,” Poe said, hugging Finn to him.

 

“Me, too,” Finn said, kissing Poe’s neck.

 

After a few moments, Poe smiled.  “So I guess now we know that romance novels are good for getting us out of an argument.”

 

Finn chuckled, his breath tickling the back of Poe’s neck.  “Have you considered that you just needed a flimsy excuse to have sex with me?  I mean, even by our standards, that wasn’t anywhere near an actual attempt to re-enact the book.”

 

“We never seem to get around to the actual re-enactments, do we?”

 

“Nope,” Finn said, kissing Poe’s neck again.  “We never do.”

 

Poe closed his eyes, savoring the warmth of Finn’s lips.  “So, two hours to kill...”

 

“Ummmm-hmmmmm,” Finn said, tracing a line down Poe’s neck with his tongue.

 

“We could give it another try?  The re-enacting.”  He leaned back into Finn.

 

“Hmmmmmmm,” Finn hummed.  He nibbled at Poe’s shoulder.  “You know, we might just have to try all night until we get it right…”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Next Chapter: The General and the Flyboy
> 
> (Or, Finn finally finds out about Poe's boyhood crush...)


	3. The General and the Flyboy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuck waiting for pickup, Finn finds out about Poe’s boyhood crush on one of the heroes of the Rebellion, and Poe decides it’s time to take advantage of a nearly empty cantina…

 

It was one of those rare times during a mission when they simply needed to lie low for several hours and do nothing.  Their contacts had come and gone; they had the intel, but Jess and Snap weren’t set to pick them up until tomorrow morning.  Finn dreaded these times: Poe tended to be restless with free time and nothing to do.  Restless Poe often translated into _getting-into-trouble_ Poe. 

 

Thankfully, they found themselves in a dark little run-down cantina on the outskirts of town.  It was the sort of place that had probably never had a heyday.  Finn figured it started out dingy and devolved from there.  And that was probably decades ago. 

 

Tonight, there were only three other patrons in the place.  Finn felt himself relax as they walked in.  The odds that Poe could pick a fight or cause a ruckus in a place like this were low.  Finn walked to a table in the back, away from everyone else. 

 

Poe brought back their drinks and collapsed into his seat.  Finn raised an eyebrow.  “Tired?”

 

Poe stretched his neck and frowned.  “Not really.  Just…”   Poe shrugged and took a drink.

 

Finn nodded then winced as he gulped down whatever it was Poe had given him. 

 

Poe shook his head.  “Don’t ask.  It was cheap, and it’ll do the job.”

 

“Stars, you’re morose tonight.”

 

Poe chuckled at that.  “Sorry, babe.  I just hate waiting.”

 

Finn knew he needed to get Poe’s mind onto something else, so he abruptly transitioned to something had been nagging at him for several cycles.  “So what’s up with _The General and the Flyboy_?”

 

Poe coughed on his drink.  “Okay, that came out of nowhere.”

 

“Actually, it didn’t.  I mentioned it once…before we started dating.”

 

Poe took a deep breath.  He had that scared look on his face that he sometimes got when he thought he was going to upset Finn.  Finn wanted to simultaneously roll his eyes and reach over and stroke Poe’s cheek.  “I’m not judging you,” Finn said. 

 

“I know that, buddy, it’s just…”

 

They’d been dating long enough that Finn knew that Poe could be strangely sensitive about certain things:

 

  * anyone calling Finn a buckethead. Finn told Poe to ignore them, but Poe—being Poe—couldn’t stand for it.  He’d nearly come to blows more than once.  And yes, it was irritating, Poe’s overprotectiveness, but there was also a small part of Finn that liked it—angry Poe was sexy as hell;
  * people treating BB-8 differently “because it’s a droid.” Poe doted on that damn droid.  And Finn thought it was cute, but to be honest, while Finn liked BB, it was a brat sometimes, and Poe was a little too forgiving.  As someone who’d been zapped more than once, Finn was still a bit leery of Poe’s “little buddy;”
  * Poe’s collection of romance novels, which Finn knew the other pilots would tease him about mercilessly. Still, Finn harbored the suspicion that Poe wanted to keep the novels a secret because he didn’t want the entire base to find out he was a big, romantic softie.  _Too late_ , Finn thought.  _Way too late_.
  * anyone who ever said anything less than glowing about General Organa. It wasn’t quite hero worship per se but…yeah, it was hero worship.  And Finn was fine with that; the General was an impressive woman.



 

But that last thing just made _The General and the Flyboy_ all the more perplexing: because either Poe’s hero worship was venturing far too close to full-blown obsession for Finn’s comfort or Poe didn’t see it.  _No,_ Finn thought, _he has to know that book is about General Organa, right?  Right?_

 

“So this is about my crush on Skywalker?”

 

Finn spit out his drink.  “What?”

 

“You’re weirded out by my crush on Luke Skywalker?”

 

“What in the hell are you talking about, Poe?”

 

“You wanted to talk about _The General and the Flyboy_ …”  Poe’s voice trailed off as he stared at his drink.  “I should get us another round.”  He started to rise and Finn put a hand firmly on his shoulder and pushed him back into the seat.

 

“That book is about Skywalker?  I thought it was about the General.”

 

“Yeah, General Solo.”

 

“Wait, what?  It’s about Han?  Not General Organa?”

 

“No.  Ewwww.   Finn, that would make it about the General and her brother.  Force!  Besides, she’s my commanding officer and she’s…she’s like my moth…No.  No.”  Poe shook his head, finished his drink and stood.  “Now I really am getting another round.”

 

Finn sat at the table, suddenly realizing that while he’d read the summary, he’d never actually read the book.  Once he’d assumed it was about General Organa, reading it just seemed…wrong.  He saw her every day.  _I work with her, for kriff’s sake!_   He figured if he read it, he’d never be able to look her in the eye again.

 

Poe came back with two drinks, smiling.  “So you really thought the book was about…”

 

“It’s called the _General_ and the flyboy.  And the summary talks about a brash General with the Rebellion…and the best pilot in the galaxy.”  He leveled a firm stare at Poe.

 

“Oh,” Poe said.  “You thought it was…”  Everything clicked into place.  _Me and the General?_   “No.”  He shook his head.  “No, Finn.  No.”  _Don’t even go down that mental path, Dameron_.  “Oh stars no.”  Poe took a long drink.  “No, _The General and the Flyboy_ takes place right after the Battle of Endor.  The General wasn’t a General then.  She was still Princess Leia.  Well, I guess, technically, she still is…”

 

“Some of us aren’t as up to date on our Rebellion history as others…” Finn said into his glass.  Then, he looked up.  “Wait, you’re telling me that the General is Solo and the flyboy is Skywalker?”

 

“Yeah, I thought you knew.  I figured that was why it bothered you.  Didn’t you read it?”  Finn shook his head.  Poe laughed and continued, “Sorry.  I just…I thought you were upset because I’ve always had a tiny crush on Skywalker.”

 

Finn took a long drink.  It was hard to imagine the man Rey told him about in their comms being Poe’s crush, but to each his own.  He shrugged.  “So it’s about the General’s husband and her brother…”

 

“I mean it’s not literally them, but yeah, based on them for sure,” Poe said, and he got a faraway look in his eyes for a moment.  Then, he seemed to remember himself.  He shrugged.  “But, I was always more into that one for the piloting stuff than anything else.  It’s got some great dogfights in it.  And the pilot is just so…”

 

Finn smiled.  “You really are a narcissist, Dameron.”

 

“Maybe.”  Poe took a drink.  “But,” Poe sighed, “I know you think that all my romance novels follow the same plot, but what can I say?  I like witty banter.  I like seeing two smart people going back and forth bickering.  And there’s this one scene when they’re stranded in the jungle, and they’re both irritated and fighting, and the tension’s building…and then they find this lake, and they end up naked and wet and…”  Poe let himself slip into memories of the book for a moment.   He finished his drink.  “You know, we’ve both got a leave scheduled in a few weeks and there’s a lake on Yavin IV that—”

 

“No.  Nope.  Not going to happen,” Finn said, finishing his drink and bringing his glass down a bit too forcefully.  “I will reenact a lot of things with you, but I draw the line at pretending to be someone I actually knew or someone that Rey is currently training with.”

 

“It’s not _really_ them, you know.”

 

“I don’t care, Poe.  I’m not…”  Finn shook his head.  “He’s Rey’s teacher, Poe.  I want to be able to look him in the eye when he comes back.”

 

Poe smiled.  “Too bad.  It would’ve been hot.”

 

“Yeah, well, I think we’ll survive.”  Poe pretended to pout.  Finn was firm: “Not going to happen, Dameron.  Pick another book.”

 

Poe leaned back and contemplated his vast library of romance novels.  Surely there were others that had naked men frolicking in a lake.  _Or…_   Poe looked around.  “Or a cantina,” he said.  Something was bugging him.  There was one that had a scene in a cantina in it, he just knew it.

 

Finn shook his head.  _Dameron, you are incorrigible.  In fact, I think the word incorrigible was invented just for you_.  Finn said in a low voice, “Are you thinking of _Cantina of Love_?”

 

Poe broke into a huge grin.  “ _Cantina of Love_.  Yes!  That’s it.”  He looked around the space.  There was only one patron and the barkeep left.  “It’s perfect.”

 

Finn looked at the dingy bar and wondered just how Poe managed to see the best in every single thing.  “This place is filthy, and there are at least two other beings here.  I’m all for your crazy re-enactment fantasies, but I draw the line at full-on exhibitionism.”

 

“You’re no fun,” Poe said, staring intently at the barkeep and the final patron. 

 

“Poe?” Finn said to his distracted boyfriend.  “Poe?”

 

Poe quickly sized up the situation.  The barkeep and his other patron were on the far end of the bar talking.  The barkeep would check in on Poe and Finn with a flick of his eyes every so often, but he was otherwise occupied.  Plus, with the way they were sitting, if Poe were to lean forward, the back of the booth would block the barkeep’s view of him, and Finn had his back to them, blocking anything else.

 

Poe smiled, reached under the table, and started unbuttoning Finn’s pants. 

 

“Poe, what are you doing?” Finn said in a low voice that had an edge of panic to it.

 

Poe’s eyes flicked up to Finn.  He licked his lips and sunk his teeth into his bottom lip.  He then raised an eyebrow.

 

“Can they…”

 

Poe shook his head.  “View’s blocked.  They can’t see a thing,” Poe said quietly, his hand already moving.  Finn tensed in his chair.  Poe smiled.  “Don’t worry, baby.  I’ve got you,” he purred, reaching into Finn’s pants and taking hold of his cock.

 

Finn wanted to turn around, check to make sure that the others were, in fact, absorbed in whatever it was they were doing, but he didn’t figure he could do that without catching their attention.  Poe leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Nervous?” He began slowly tracing his fingers up and down Finn’s cock.

 

“You think?” Finn sputtered out.

 

“I can stop if you want,” Poe said, rubbing his thumb over the top of the head.

 

Finn closed his eyes and sucked in a breath.  “You’re…you’re…”  Poe did it again; Finn was already getting hard.  “Bastard,” Finn breathed out.

 

“That mean you want me to stop?” Poe asked, all innocence.  His hand beginning to move just a bit faster, twisting.

 

“No,” Finn bit out.  His hands dug into his knees.  He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from making noise.

 

Poe continued at this pace and then looked over Finn’s shoulder at the two men across the bar.  After a moment, he leaned down, moving his head into Finn’s lap.

 

Finn’s whole body went taut.  “Poe…”

 

“They can’t see me,” Poe said quietly.  “The only way they’ll notice is if you do something.”

 

Finn closed his eyes, making a mental note that someday soon he was going to repay Poe Dameron for this, but then he felt Poe’s mouth on his cock and his brain stopped working.  Poe’s tongue circled the head, teasing him, and he had to fight not to grab Poe and hold him there.

 

His hips were trying to arch; it hurt, keeping them in place, and Finn let out a small whimper.  Poe smiled around Finn’s cock, humming—making it worse by making it feel so good.

 

“Poe,” Finn gasped.  “I can’t…”

 

Poe suddenly pushed himself all the way down Finn’s shaft, deep throating him.  Finn’s whole body shook.

 

And then suddenly, Poe was pulling off of Finn completely and slowly sitting up.

 

There was a sheen of sweat on Finn’s forehead and he was having trouble breathing.  His eyes were wide.  _What the fuck, Dameron?_   He opened his mouth.  Poe shook his head.

 

Poe rose and motioned for Finn to stay put. 

 

 _Yeah, I’m not getting up anytime soon, Poe_ , Finn glared at the back of his boyfriend’s head.  Poe walked over to the bar and called the barkeep over.  Finn was trying to get his breathing under control.  _He’s not going to do what I think he’s going to do, is he?_

 

Poe and the barkeep had a spirited discussion.  Suddenly, Poe was laughing and sliding some money across the bar and shaking hands with the man, and the barkeep was shepherding the other patron out the door, leaving Finn and Poe in the cantina all alone.  Finn heard the front door lock.  _Of course he’s doing exactly what I think he’s doing._

 

Finn was still shaking, but he’d be damned if he was going to let Poe have the upper hand in all of this.  He raised an eyebrow.  “Dameron?”

 

“We’ve got the place entirely to ourselves for the next hour.”

 

“Seriously, Dameron, what is with you and reenacting these romance novels?”

 

Poe shrugged.  “Never had someone to do it with before.”  Then, his entire countenance changed.  “Also never had a cantina all to myself.”  He was walking back towards their table doing his best Dameron strut. 

 

 _Damn that boy knows how to move_ , Finn thought, suddenly imagining a very naked Poe Dameron moving in an altogether different fashion.  His over-stimulated cock twitched, something Poe didn’t miss.

 

Poe smiled.  “Looks like you might be enjoying this too.”

 

“So, what exactly did you have in mind?” Finn said, trying to sound disinterested and failing.

 

“You read the book,” Poe said, standing in front of Finn and offering Finn his hand.

 

“Refresh my memory,” said Finn, taking Poe’s hand and standing.

 

Poe smiled and leaned forward, crowding his boyfriend, but being careful not to press into Finn’s erection.  He placed a chaste kiss on Finn’s cheek and pulled back.  “Well, it’s late, and the cantina is deserted except for two patrons.”  He kissed Finn’s other cheek.  “There’s the ace Resistance pilot.”  He kissed Finn’s forehead.  “And the uptight Republican senator.”  He kissed Finn’s chin.  “And the senator thinks the pilot is too loud, too brash, too hotheaded.”  Poe kissed Finn’s throat.

 

“Can’t imagine a pilot being hotheaded,” Finn mumbled.

 

Poe pulled back and gave him a look.

 

Finn grinned.  “Sorry.  You were saying?”

 

Poe nuzzled Finn’s neck, talking into it and then licking.  “As I was saying, the pilot thinks the Republican senator has a lightsaber up his ass and is way too fond of playing by the rules.”

 

“Ummmmmm,” Finn said.  Poe’s voice was quickly becoming background noise because that boy’s tongue could do magical things.  Finn closed his eyes.

 

“Anyway, they’re the only two there.  Even the bartender is asleep,” Poe said, moving around behind Finn and removing Finn’s jacket.  He began kissing Finn’s neck, making sure to scrape his stubble across Finn’s oh-so-sensitive skin there.

 

“Ummmmmmm,” Finn’s voice got a bit higher.  He leaned forward trying to get away from the tickling sensation, but Poe wrapped his hands around Finn’s torso to hold him in place.

 

“And they get into this heated argument.”  Poe began nibbling up to Finn’s ear.  “They both think the First Order is evil, but they both also think the other one is going about things the wrong way.”

 

Finn’s hands snaked around behind Poe and found his ass, squeezing.  Poe closed his eyes, trying to remember what he was talking about.  He could feel the vibrations of Finn’s voice through his lips and hands as Finn asked, “So then what happened?”

 

Poe moved his head to whisper into Finn’s ear.  “They’re yelling at each other, screaming, and suddenly the pilot just grabs the senator and kisses him.”  Poe ran his teeth along Finn’s earlobe.  “And then they’re pulling off each other’s clothes and grabbing and shoving each other, and they end up doing it on one of the tables in the cantina.”  He pulled Finn’s earlobe into his mouth, sucking.  Finn’s fingers dug just a bit deeper into Poe’s ass.

 

For a moment, the equilibrium held, but then Finn couldn’t take it any longer.  He spun, grabbing Poe’s face and kissing him hard.  “Is that what you want, Dameron?  You want me to fuck you over this table?”

 

Poe groaned; he was trembling.  “Fuck yeah, Finn.”

 

It was all hands—pawing at each other, tugging at clothes, cursing when a button stuck.  Poe was flinging his clothes every which way.  Finn laughed, trying to get his onto a nearby table at least, but Poe wasn’t having it.  Poe yanked at Finn’s shirt.  “Just a minute, babe.  You’re going to rip it,” Finn said.

 

“Think you’re kind of missing the point, dear,” Poe said, cupping Finn’s cock in his hand.  Finn closed his eyes and then rocked his hips.  As Poe moved his hand away, Finn ripped the shirt off and flung it away.

 

“You have lube?” Finn asked.

 

Poe shot him his patented _I’m-Poe-Fucking-Dameron_ look, pulling a tube out of his pocket.

 

“You always have that on you?”

 

“When you’re around, yeah,” Poe said. 

 

Finn shook his head, laughing, and kissed his boyfriend.  “I love you, Dameron.”

 

“Right back at you, Finn,” Poe said.  He then looked Finn up and down.  “So we ready to do this?”

 

Finn’s smile grew even wider.  There was something about Poe’s enthusiasm that made his heart beat just a little faster every single time.

 

He stepped up to Poe, looked him dead in the eye, and tried to sound haughty and mean.  “It’s hotshot pilots like you that are screwing everything up for those of us trying to bring real change to the galaxy.”

 

Poe had no trouble slipping into his role.  “You senators are all alike—blaming those of us who are actually out there doing things, instead of sitting on our asses all day!”

 

“Doing things?  You know what I’d like to do?” Finn yelled.  Before Poe could retort, Finn grabbed him, forcing their mouths together.  Poe’s hands wrapped around Finn’s shoulders.

 

Finn was pushing him back, towards their table.  As he pulled out of the kiss, he panted, “Time to learn some manners, pilot.”  He spun Poe around and pushed him over the table.  Poe had the breath knocked out of him as his hands hit the table.  Finn ran a hand down Poe’s back.  Poe sucked in a huge breath.   _Maker, he’s good at this_.

 

Finn grabbed the lube, slicking up his fingers.  Usually, he was gentle, but tonight, he thought the re-enactment demanded something different, so without any preamble, he stuck the first finger in.

 

Poe groaned.

 

Finn stopped.  “Too rough?”

 

“No, just surprised.”

 

 _Good._   Finn smiled and quickly worked in the second finger and then the third, scissoring them, loving how Poe was already pushing back against him.  “You ready?”

 

Poe was flushed, breathing heavily.  “Oh yeah.”

 

Finn pulled out his fingers and lubed up his cock.  He pushed himself in slowly.  When he was fully in, he whispered, “Stand up.”

 

Poe pushed himself off the table so that he was standing.  Finn pulled almost all the way out and then pushed back in.  Poe ‘s hands went to the table to steady himself. 

 

This time, when Finn was all the way in, he stopped and leaned forward, putting his chin on Poe’s shoulder.  One hand snaked around Poe’s torso.  Finn closed his eyes for a moment and just took it in: the feeling of his sweat-slicked skin next to Poe’s, the warmth of Poe, the comforting sound of Poe’s breathing.

 

Finn wrapped his other hand around Poe’s cock.  He squeezed and Poe let out a low hiss.  Finn felt it like a bolt of electricity through his body.  He slowly moved his hand up and when he got to the head, he stopped, letting his thumb glide over it.  Poe’s eyes fell shut.  Finn moved his hand down and then back up, keeping his attention focused on the head.  Poe leaned forward, his mouth fell open and he moaned.  Finn kissed Poe’s shoulder.  _I love watching you come undone._

 

Finn began rubbing his thumb over the head in earnest.  Poe was gasping for breath.

 

“Feel good?” Finn whispered into Poe’s ear.

 

Poe sucked in a breath, wanting to answer, but losing the ability.  He nodded and let loose a small groan.

 

Finn slowly pulled his cock back out and pushed back in, keeping his hand on the head of Poe’s cock while he did it.  _I’m gonna make this last forever if I can, Dameron._

 

“Kiss me,” Finn said, moving his other hand up to direct Poe’s mouth to his.  As his mouth captured Poe’s, he began thrusting into Poe just a touch harder.  Poe chocked out a noise that sounded like Finn’s name. 

 

“Want you to fuck my hand,” Finn said.  “Okay?” 

 

Poe nodded vigorously as he began rocking his hips with Finn, the two of them moving together—Finn into Poe, Poe into Finn’s hand.

 

Finn closed his eyes, loving how Poe was filling his senses.  Everything was Poe.  He buried his nose into Poe’s shoulder and took a long breath as they moved together, swaying back and forth.

 

Finn kept it deliberately slow, and Poe couldn’t tell if they’d been moving into each other like this for minutes or hours.

 

“Tell me when you’re about to come,” Finn finally whispered to Poe.

 

“Ungh,” Poe managed.  It was too much.  Finn was filling him up and stroking him and he was pretty sure he was crying and laughing and he might already be dead, but he didn’t care.

 

Finn whipped his hips in just a bit harder.  Poe let out a guttural noise.

 

“You close, baby?” Finn asked, kissing Poe’s neck.

 

Poe began nodding his head.  He whimpered. 

 

Finn gave him one more sharp thrust and then stopped.  He wrapped both arms around Poe to keep him from moving.

 

They were both trembling.

 

Poe opened his mouth.  He wanted to ask what was happening, but nothing was coming.

 

“Let me know when you can talk,” Finn said. 

 

About a minute later, Poe said, “Yeah.”

 

“You with me,” Finn asked.

 

“Yeah, what’s…”

 

Finn leaned in until his mouth was right next to Poe’s ear.  “I want you to fuck me,” Finn said.  He loosened his grip on Poe, and pulled out completely. 

 

Poe turned to face him, wide eyed.  They’d never done that before.  “You sure?”  He put his hand on Finn’s cheek, searching Finn’s eyes.

 

Finn nodded and then offered Poe one of his brightest smiles.  “Wouldn’t be offering if I wasn’t sure.”  He leaned in and gave Poe a quick kiss.  He then stretched down across the table.  He looked back up at Poe over his shoulder.  “You’ll need to work me open first.”

 

 _Is this really happening?_   “Oh fuck, Finn.”  Poe was pretty sure he was going to come just from the thought of this.  “I’m not going to last long.”

 

“I don’t care.  I want you in me.”

 

Poe desperately searched the table, finally spotting the lube.  His hands wouldn’t stop shaking.  He slicked up his fingers and tried to get himself to _calm the fuck down_ , but as he pressed the first finger to Finn’s rim, he paused.

 

“Poe, I want this.”

 

Poe closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  _He wants this.  I want this_.  He took another breath.  _I can do this_.  He slowly worked the finger in.  Then, he started moving it in and out, taking his time.  He added the second finger and then the third.  He loved how this felt—he was still all nerves and anticipation, but now, it was in the best possible way.  He began scissoring his fingers, and he smiled as Finn began pushing back against him.  “Think you’re ready?”

 

Finn breathed out, “Yes.”

 

Poe curled his fingers one last time, loving the reaction in Finn’s body, and then he pulled his fingers out.  He lubed up his cock and pushed in, being sure to take his time.  “This okay?”  Poe was trying hard not to cry, Finn was so tight and hot and perfect.

 

“Yeah,” Finn answered, a little breathless.  _Oh stars, Poe, this feels incredible._

 

Poe pulled back out just as slowly, and Finn laughed.  “Poe, I’m not gonna break.  I promise.  You can fuck me.”

 

Poe put his hands on Finn’s ass, digging his fingers in a bit—it was such a glorious ass.  He then began a leisurely rhythm.  “I top, I get to choose how fast we go, understood?” and on the last word, he made sure to flick his hips ever so slightly.

 

“Oooooh, yeah,” Finn said. 

 

Poe began speeding up, begging himself not to come, loving the way Finn was arching his back and coming up off the table, making all kinds of greedy little noises as he reached his hands forward, trying to find something to grab onto.

 

 

Finn was having a hard time thinking.  Everything was reduced to the feeling of Poe in him, filling him up and “Oooooooh, yeah,” he gasped.  “Right there.”  _This is amazing; we need to do this all the kriffing time_.  Finn wanted to say just that, but instead, he just kept repeating, “Yeah.”  Finn closed his eyes, completely blissed out.

 

Poe closed his eyes, lost in the litany of Finn’s “yeah”s that were steadily getting louder.  He could hear the smile on Finn’s lips.  _Force, I want to see his face when he comes_ , Poe thought.

 

He suddenly stilled.  “No,” Poe huffed out. 

 

 _NO?!?!?_   “Poe?”  _You can’t leave me hanging, Poe._

 

“Want to see you,” Poe said, panting.  _Need to see you._

 

He leaned down and kissed the back of Finn’s neck.  “Have to see you.”  He slowly pulled out of Finn and pointed to the booth.  Finn moved to the booth and slowly let himself fall back.   Poe walked over, smiled and put his hand on Finn’s cheek.  “You’re so beautiful.  You know that, right?”

 

Finn smiled up at him.

 

Poe couldn’t resist.  He bent down and kissed Finn lightly on the lips.  “I love you,” he said.

 

Finn said, “With all my heart.”

 

 _What did I do to deserve you?_   Poe leaned back, smiling, and pushed in.  “Wrap your legs around me.” 

 

Finn did and Poe began thrusting, starting slow but quickly building into a faster rhythm. 

 

Poe held onto Finn’s hips, staring down at his boyfriend, and Finn’s breath caught.  Poe looked amazed—all wide eyes and that stupid grin that seemed to say _I’m the luckiest being in the ‘verse_.  Finn couldn’t believe that was for him.  He started to reach out, to touch Poe, to tell him he felt it to, when his whole body shook from sensation.  _Stars!_ He screwed his eyes shut, trying to hold on to the feeling.

 

Finn gave out a plaintive wail.  Poe realized he’d found Finn’s prostate.  “Stroke yourself,” Poe said.

 

Finn was having trouble remembering to breathe; he wasn’t sure how he was going to manage to find his cock, but somehow, he did.  He grasped it and began teasing the head.  He squeezed his eyes shut as Poe hit his prostate again.  “Poe, I’m…”  He took in a ragged breath.  “Poe.”  _Oh, maker, thank you, Poe.  This is amaz—_  

 

Suddenly, he was tumbling over the edge.  Everything was on fire and Finn stopped breathing.  Somewhere far away, he could feel his muscles spasming around Poe and hot come covering his hand and his stomach.  Someone was yelling.

 

Poe had never seen anything more beautiful than Finn at this moment.  Finn’s eyes were closed and his mouth was opened and his entire body went stiff, and as long as he lived, Poe was never going to see anything to compare to the majesty of Finn coming undone.

 

As he felt the spasms rack Finn’s body, Poe knew that was it.  He grabbed Finn’s hips so hard, he knew he’d leave bruises.  “Kriff,” he gasped.  _I love you._   His body jerked, everything went white, and he was coming with a yell.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn looked around the cantina.  “I’m going to need a solid hour in the fresher when we get back.  I don’t even want to think about how dirty that table is or…”

 

Poe laughed.  “I love my little neat freak.”  He kissed the top of Finn’s head and stood.  “Have you seen my other boot?”

 

Finn nodded across the bar.  “It’s under that stool.” 

 

Poe hopped over to retrieve it.

 

“How much time we have left before the barkeep gets back?” Finn asked.

 

“Few minutes,” Poe said, pulling on his boot.  He smiled over at Finn and then suddenly he turned serious.  “Thanks.”  Finn looked confused, so Poe added, “I know I push it sometimes, with these romance novels and all and…”

 

“Poe,” Finn said quietly, walking over to his boyfriend.  “I’m a grown ass man capable of saying no to you at any time.  I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.  I like our little re-enactments.”  He kissed Poe’s forehead.  “And if you think you aren’t going to fuck me again, well…”

 

Poe smirked.  “You liked that?”

 

Finn took Poe’s cheek in his hand.  “I loved it, Poe.  Thank you.”

 

Poe wanted to say something heartfelt and sincere, tell Finn how amazing he was, but his voice caught in his throat. 

 

The front door clicked and slid open.  The bartender walked in, surveying the space—seemingly surprised that it looked to be in pretty much the same condition he left it in. 

 

Finn let his hand drop and Poe seemed to wake from his haze.

 

Poe turned to the bar tender, “Can we get two more?”  He nodded towards the cheapest stuff on the shelf behind the bar. 

 

Finn walked back to their booth, sinking into the seat, trying not to think about what they’d been doing there a few minutes earlier.  Poe came back with their drinks, downed his in one go, and leaned against Finn.  _You are the most amazing person in the galaxy, Finn.  The most amazing person in any galaxy_.  Poe stifled a yawn.

 

Finn wrapped his arm around Poe.  “Really do love you, you know?” Finn said.

 

“Mmmmmm,” Poe hummed, his eyes already closed.  _Tell him.  Tell him all the things_ , Poe’s sleepy brain said.  “I love you more than anything, Finn.  Anything.”  He yawned again.  “You’re my everything.” 

 

Finn felt his chest constrict, and he wanted to say something, but Poe was already snoring.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn jerked awake, all of his senses on high alert.  He scanned the space.  The barkeep smiled and waved.  There were a few other patrons, but the place was quiet.  _We’re still in the kriffing cantina_.  He looked over at Poe, who had somehow managed to get his entire body up in the booth with his head in Finn’s lap.  _You have to be the most adorable being in existence_ , Finn thought, running a gentle hand through the sleeping pilot’s hair.

 

Finn’s comm beeped.  He pressed a button and Snap’s irritated voice came through, “Wexley here.  You two gonna answer me or maybe be at the rendezvous anytime soon?”

 

 _Kriff, we overslept_.  “Sorry, Snap, we’ll be there soon.  Finn out.”

 

Finn shook Poe.  “Poe, wake up.”

 

“Ummmm, no.  Like sleep,” Poe mumbled.

 

Finn leaned down.  “Sweetheart, Jess and Snap are waiting, and I, for one, want to get back to base and jump in the fresher.”

 

Poe made a grumbling noise.  Finn shrugged and got up, letting Poe’s head unceremoniously hit the booth.  “Hey!” Poe said, instantly waking.

 

Finn looked down at him.  “We’re late.”

 

“What?” Poe looked at the chrono on the wall.  “Kriff!  Finn, why did you let me oversleep?”

 

“Because you’re a hotshot pilot who needs to be taught a lesson,” Finn said smiling and jogging towards the door.

 

“You senators are all alike,” Poe yelled after him.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Hutt Gambit


	4. The Hutt Gambit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dashing thief who has managed to get on the wrong side of both the Republic and the Hutts is on the run. The Republic officer trying to arrest him ends up being chased by the Hutts himself. The two are going to have to work together if they want to make it out alive.
> 
> Or, when Poe and Finn end up at a casino on leave, Finn knows just what cheesy romance novel he wants to re-enact next…

 

Finn had nixed a naked rendezvous at a lake on Yavin IV just because they’d be re-enacting a romance novel that might have been slightly based on the lives of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.  _It’s not like I’d be calling him Han_ , Poe thought as they lifted off from the port.  And he stopped himself before he thought too long and hard about how hot _that_ might be.

 

Poe shifted in his seat.  He hated public transports, but that was the only way this was possible.  A group of them had a week’s leave, and when Finn had picked a pleasure planet in the Outer Rim for him and Poe, the others had decided to tag along.  Given the fact that the Resistance was trying not to advertise at the moment, Poe thought it best if they keep a low profile. 

 

But Poe had somehow forgotten that he was an absolute mess when anyone else was piloting.  _Of course, it’s hard to forget when whoever is flying this thing is a rank amateur_.  He looked over at Jess, who looked as uncomfortable as he felt. 

 

She shot him a look.  _Can you believe this idiot?_  

 

Poe shook his head.  Snap and Bastian had both somehow managed to fall asleep the instant they got on board, and Finn looked like he was going to bounce out of his seat with excitement.  Poe’s mood softened a bit at that.  _Finn is so damn happy._

 

Jess rolled her eyes.  “Could you save the puppy dog eyes for when you two are alone please?  It’s bad enough that the PILOT DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO KRIFFING FLY but you getting all sappy is just going to make me sick.”

 

“Sorry, Pava.  I was just letting it distract me from the NERF-HERDING PILOT.”

 

Finn crossed his arms and gave them the _I’m-very-disappointed-in-you_ look that he seemed to have learned from the General.  They immediately lowered their eyes and began mumbling apologies.  “Seriously, you two, I can’t take you anywhere.”

 

Poe opened his mouth to explain why they were upset but Finn shook his head.  “Not another word until after we land.  You two will just have to suck it up.  Why don’t you try to sleep like Snap and Bastian?”

 

Jess rolled her eyes.  “I think I liked it better before your boyfriend came and made us all act like adults.”

 

“Yeah, but the sex is fantastic so I’m willing to—”

 

“Poe!” Finn said.  “Unless you want to be spending your leave in separate rooms, you will behave.”

 

“Yes, Finn.”

 

Jessika repeated, “Yes, Finn.”

 

Jess and Poe pouted until the transport landed and for several minutes after, but as soon as the group saw the casino they were staying at, thoughts of the transport evaporated into thoughts of drinking, gambling, and sleeping in beds that weren’t twenty-year-old Republic hand-me-downs.

 

The first night, the group decided to stay in the hotel and try their luck at the casino.  Snap elected not to gamble.  “Okay, dad,” Jess joked.  “You can watch the rest of us get rich.”

 

Snap smiled a knowing smile, and sure enough, an hour later both Jess and Bastian had lost everything they’d brought to gamble for the week.

 

Poe was doing pretty well—breaking even—but it was Finn who was the one to watch.  He’d wandered away from the rest of the group and by the time Jess and Bastian had given up and Poe had cashed in, they found him in a high-stakes sabacc game. 

 

Poe walked up to where Snap, Jess, and Bastian were already watching.  “How’s he doing?”

 

“Shhhhhhhh,” came a chorus of voices.

 

Snap leaned over and whispered, “It’s going to come down to this hand.”

 

Poe scanned the table.  Two of the players were out of luck; it was written on their faces.  The player to Finn’s left was looking confident, and Finn’s face was inscrutable. 

 

Snap whispered, “I’ve been watching your boy; he’s amazing.  I’d always thought this game was mostly luck, but Finn’s good.  I wouldn’t play against him.” 

 

Poe smiled.  _My boyfriend is impressive_.

 

The player to Finn’s left, a large older human, grumbled, “Call.  Bet 5,000 credits.”  Neither of the next two players could cover the bet, so they were out. 

 

_5,000 credits?_   Poe’s eyes went wide.  He turned to Snap, who nodded.

 

Finn saw the 5,000 credits and then met the human’s eyes.  “What do you have?”

 

The human smiled.  He placed his cards on the table.  “Pure Sabacc.” 

 

Poe felt himself deflate.  _Dammit._

 

Everyone at the table started to congratulate the human when Finn cleared his throat.  He laid down his cards, revealing an Idiot’s Array.  For a moment, everything went silent.  Then, Jess and Bastian began screaming.

 

Poe started laughing and then he caught sight of Snap, who was pale.  “What is it?”

 

“Your boy just won the Main Pot and the Sabacc Pot.  That’s 60,000 credits.”

 

“What?”

 

“60,000 credits, Poe.”

 

“Fuck.”

 

“Exactly,” Snap said, moving forward to congratulate Finn.

 

**# # # #**

 

On their way back to the room, Poe was buzzing with energy.  “You were amazing, Finn!  Where did you learn how to play sabacc?”

 

“Seriously, what do you people think Stormtroopers do in their free time?  We might not get much of it, but you guys seem to think we don’t have sex or play cards or,” he turned to Poe and tried to look earnest, “you know I can read, right?”

 

Poe laughed.  “Sassy Finn is my favorite, and you were brilliant down there, so I really don’t care that you’re making fun of me.”  They got in the elevator.  “Any ideas on how you’re gonna spend it?”

 

“Maybe,” Finn said, a sly smile crossing his face.

 

“Anything you’re gonna share with me?”

 

“Not yet.  I’ll let you know in a day or two.”

 

Poe laughed.  “So, how should we celebrate your big win?”

 

Finn turned and pushed Poe up against the back of the elevator.  “What did you have in mind?”

 

“Oh, I think this is a good start,” Poe mumbled, already leaning in and nuzzling Finn’s neck.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe and Finn didn’t emerge from their room the next day.

 

On day three, they finally ventured out to explore the city with the others.  At one point, though, Finn broke away from the group, claiming he was feeling tired. 

 

“Want me to come back with you?”

 

“No, Poe.  Go with the others.”  He gave Poe the sweetest smile he could muster.  “Just be back for dinner, okay?”

 

“Of course,” Poe watched Finn leave.  _He’s not tired.  Something is up_.  Poe tried not to let it bug him.

 

Finn smiled as he walked away.  _Time to put this plan into action_.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe got back to the room with a large bag full of things he’d bought—mostly for Finn.  “Finn, sweetie, I want you try this on, okay?”  He looked around the room.  “Finn?”

 

That’s when he noticed the flimsi on the bed.  It had coordinates and a time.  Poe looked at the chrono.  “Kriff!”  He rushed to the fresher.

 

Thirty minutes later, Poe got off the elevator and looked down at the directions Finn had scrawled on the flimsi for him.  _Where in the name of the galaxy do you have me going, Finn?_

 

As he passed by the hotel bar, he spotted Jess and Bastian, and from the look of things, they’d gone straight there after the shopping trip.  The commanding officer in him couldn’t help it; he had to go check on them.

 

As he walked up, Jess held up her glass.  “Poe!”

 

Bastian startled, as if he were on the verge of sleep.  “Poe,” he said, reaching for his glass and sending it sliding along the bar.  Poe ran over and caught it before it fell off.  He handed it to Bastian.  “Careful, buddy.”  _Seriously, how much could you guys have drunk in the last half hour?_

 

“Big night out with the boyfriend?” Jess asked, appraising Poe’s outfit.

 

Poe self-consciously pulled at his shirt.  “Uh, yeah.  Hey, where’s Snap?”

 

“Snap went to his room,” Jess grumbled into her drink.  “He’s no fun when Karé isn’t around.”

 

Poe smiled.  He wondered if that’s what people said about him and Finn.

 

“Okay, well, I’m due to meet Finn, so you and Bastian be careful,” he said, frowning, “and maybe call it a night soon.”

 

Poe made to leave.  “Wait,” Jess said, grabbing at Poe’s sleeve.  “Settle a bet for me first.”

 

Poe looked at her hand on his sleeve and then back up at Jess.  “What?”

 

“You and Finn.”

 

“Me and Finn?”

 

“Did you two do it in the TIE fighter?”

 

Poe rolled his eyes and put his hand over her glass.  “All right, Jess, I’m cutting you off.”

 

“That’s not an answer!” She started leaning back.  Poe moved to catch her and put her back on her chair. 

 

_What the hell is in these drinks?_

 

“No, Testor, we did not have sex in the TIE fighter.  Kind of too busy getting shot at.”

 

“Bet you wanted to though,” she said, raising both eyebrows and nudging Bastian.

 

“Huh?” Bastian said.

 

Poe sighed.  _These two are going to get themselves killed before the night is out._   He sighed _.  I can’t leave them like this._   He leaned over the bar and signaled the bartender.  “Do you have a comm unit I could use?”

 

The bartender nodded to the far wall.

 

Poe turned back to his pilots.  “Do not move for the next few minutes.”

 

Jess straightened up stiff and saluted.  “Yes, sir!”  She failed in holding back a fit of giggles.

 

Bastian rubbed his eyes.  “Uhhh-huh.”

 

Poe jogged to the comm unit to contact Snap.  _Please.  Please.  Please be in, Snap._

“What?” came Snap’s irritated voice.

 

“Need a favor, Snap.”

 

“What now, Dameron?”

 

“Jess and Bastian…”

 

“What bar are they at?”

 

“The one downstairs with the weird purple lights.”

 

“I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

 

“Thanks, Snap.”

 

“Don’t worry, Commander.  I’m going to remember this.”

 

Poe jogged back to the bar to find Bastian snoring into Jessika’s shoulder.  She had somehow managed to talk the bartender into refilling her drink.  She looked at Poe over her glass and raised her eyebrows.

 

“Snap will be here in a few minutes,” Poe said, checking the chrono on the wall.  _Dammit, I’m late._

 

Jess smiled.  “Go!  We’re fine.”  She nudged Bastian.  “Aren’t we, baby bird?”

 

“Hmmmmm?” Bastian asked, sitting up.

 

Poe raised an eyebrow and Jess got even louder.  “We are fine,” she slurred.  She turned to Bastian to confirm and he nodded, looking like at any moment, he might drift back off to sleep.

 

“Fine,” Bastian said quietly.  He began searching for his drink.

 

“Yeah, you both look fine,” Poe said.  He glanced around the bar.  He had no reason to believe that it wasn’t safe and Snap would be here soon, but he really didn’t want to leave Jess and Bastian compromised.

 

Jess slapped his chest.  “Will you leave already?  Baby bird and I will be fine.  You aren’t our dad anymore.  Go find Finn and do something nasty.”  She smiled and then took another drink.

 

Bastian laughed into his cup.  “Nasty,” he repeated.

 

Poe sighed.  “Fine, Testor, but if you two end up in any kind of trouble, and I mean anything, or if you set one foot outside this—”

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Jess said, taking another drink.

 

Poe leaned in.  “I will tell everyone—including the General—about your crush on Skywalker.  The poster.  The French kissing.”

 

Jess’ eyes went wide.  “You wouldn’t!”

 

Poe nodded.  “So we’re clear?”

 

“Yes, sir,” said Jess dejectedly.

 

As Poe walked away, Bastian leaned over.  “I thought you were into girls.”

 

“I am,” Jess said, holding up her empty glass to the bartender.

 

Bastian studied the contents of his glass, swirling it around.  “But wait, how does that work then?  Skywalker’s a not girl, and you like girls.  How can you like a not girl?”

 

Jess leaned over, “Oh baby bird.”  She slapped him on the back.  “Strap in and let me explain some things.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe tried to follow the directions Finn had given him, but after about twenty minutes, he realized that he was hopelessly lost.  _I’m a pilot, for kriff’s sake.  I should be able to navigate this._  Although, as he looked around, he had to admit that this district looked a bit seedier than the area with their hotel and the casino.

 

Poe slowed down and really took in the surroundings.  _Wait a minute…_   The darkened alleyways.  The establishments with slightly suggestive names.  The posters with half naked beings on them—or at least he assumed that was a half-naked Hutt; he didn’t want to investigate too closely.  _This is the red light district_ , Poe thought.  _Finn, what in the name of the force are we doing down here?_   Poe wasn’t a prude, but this really didn’t seem like Finn’s style.

 

Poe took another few steps and decided to find a way to comm Finn and tell him he misread the directions.  That’s when a hand shot out from the dark alley behind him, covering his mouth.  An arm wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms.

 

Just as Poe started to try to break the hold, a voice whispered in his ear, “You weren’t lost, were you Dameron?”

 

Finn pushed Poe up against a wall.  Poe sucked in a breath.  Finn put a hand on either side of Poe and leaned forward, smiling.

 

“Kriff, Finn!” Poe said, equal amounts annoyed and turned on.  “I could’ve—”

 

Finn raised an eyebrow.

 

“I could’ve tried,” Poe shot back.

 

Finn gave Poe a quick kiss.  “So what do you think?”

 

Poe looked around the dark alley and then back at Finn.  “Help me out here, buddy.  What am I supposed to be noticing?”

 

Finn laughed and whispered into Poe’s ear.  “ _The Hutt Gambit_?  I figured this would be the best place to try to re-enact it.”

 

Poe couldn’t help the shiver that ran up his entire frame.  _Is Finn actually suggesting that we have sex in this alley?_   Poe’s cock was already getting hard.  “Ummmm,” Poe managed.  “Just what exactly were you thinking?”

 

Finn moved a hand to rub the bulge in Poe’s pants.  “Well, I know what you’re thinking.”  He smiled.  “And while I’m not as much of a prude as you think I am, I’m still not quite ready to have sex in front of other people yet.”  Finn nodded towards the end of the alley where a group of Twi’leks were walking by.

 

“So?”

 

“So, it turns out that this establishment right behind you has some very specialized…spaces for rent.”

 

“You did your homework,” Poe said, amazed at the wonder that was Finn.

 

“I always do my homework, Dameron.  Not all of us can glide through life like you can.”

 

Poe laughed and leaned forward, lightly kissing Finn’s cheek.  “What did I ever do to deserve you, babe?”

 

Finn grabbed Poe’s head and kissed him quickly.  “Come on, we’ve got the space for four hours and our time starts in about ten minutes.”

 

“Lead the way,” Poe said.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe had been expecting a dingy room painted to look like a back alley.  This…this was too much to take in.  As the Duros behind the counter had explained, Finn had rented one of their larger spaces in the sub-basement.  It turned out to be a cityscape two-stories tall, full of buildings and alleys and…  _Kriff,_ Poe thought, trying one of the doors, _this is all functional and real._   He looked to Finn with wide eyes.

 

Finn beamed.  “It’s a pleasure planet, Poe.  They want to make their customers happy, and it turns out,” he said leaning in, “there are a lot of reasons you might want a functioning cityscape without any other people around.”  He chuckled.  “Seems we aren’t the first couple interested in making _The Hutt Gambit_ come to life.”

 

“Kriffing hell, Finn.  I don’t want to know how much you spent on this, do I?”

 

“Remember my big win two days ago?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Finn motioned to the space in front of them.

 

Poe shook his head.  “Again, I repeat, what did I ever do to deserve you?”

 

Finn laughed.  He turned to Poe and tried for his serious _don’t-question-my-judgement_ look.  “Since I bought the space, I get to decide who is doing what.  That means you’re the thief and I’m the Republic Officer hot on your tail.”

 

Poe wiggled his butt at that and Finn rolled his eyes.  “As I was saying, you’re a wanted man, Poe Dameron, and it’s my job to bring you in.  Unfortunately, we’ve both run afoul of the Hutts and we’re having to hide out in the red light district of the city.”

 

Poe smiled; he remembered the book well.  “So, you didn’t find the time to hire Hutts or anything like that?”

 

“No,” Finn said.  “We’ll have to pretend.”  He leaned over to a control panel near the entrance to the space.  “There is however, a program that tries to make the space look and sound as authentic as possible.”  He pressed a button and suddenly the light in the space shifted and there was noise—beings talking, music, animals in the distance.  If Poe didn’t know better, he’d swear he was outside.

 

“This is amazing, Finn.”

 

“Yeah, well, we only have,” he looked at his chrono, “three hours and 50 minutes left in here, so let’s make the most of it.”  He burst into an evil grin.  “I’m going to give you five minutes to hide and then I’m going to look for you.”

 

“What in the name of the force is my incentive to stay hidden, Finn?  The sooner you find me, the sooner we are having sex.”

 

“I thought you might say that, so here’s the added incentive.”  Finn’s evil grin grew.  “One, you’re going to hide because we’re re-enacting the novel.”

 

Poe rolled his eyes and mumbled, “Yeah, and we never go off book when we’re doing that…”

 

“But two, and most importantly is this: if you can manage to elude me for the next 45 minutes, then I will indulge you in your lakeside fantasy from _The General and the Flyboy_ the next time we go to Yavin IV.”

 

“You said that was off the table…” Poe said, his throat suddenly feeling parched.

 

“I know, but now I’m putting it back on the table.  If you think you can outsmart me for the next forty-five minutes, that is.”

 

Poe smiled.  “You’re on.”

 

“So, five minute’s head start and then forty-five minutes to find you, okay?”

 

“You are so getting ravaged in a lake, Finn.”

 

“I doubt it, flyboy.” 

 

“Black Squadron: the best and brightest in the Resistance, Finn, and I’m their leader.”

 

Finn laughed.   “Ummmm-hmmmm, let’s talk about best and brightest in the Resistance in about forty-five minutes, okay?

 

Poe rolled his eyes.  “You’re just scared I’m right.”

 

Finn shook his head and turned to watch the chrono.  “Time starts now.  Go!” 

 

Poe took off at breakneck speed, dashing along streets and alleys.  _I’m a spy, for kriff’s sake.  I have to elude the authorities for a living.  I’ve got this._

 

Finn watched the chrono calmly.  _Sometimes it’s too easy._

 

**# # # #**

Finn had figured, at most, it would take him twenty minutes to find Poe.  The space was roughly four city blocks squared, so it was huge, but they were the only living beings in it and well, Finn just liked his chances. 

 

What he hadn’t counted on was that Poe Dameron was actually playing to win.  _Kriff_ , Finn thought, staring at the chrono that was telling him he only had fifteen minutes left.  _I’m going to end up having sex in a lake on Yavin IV._

 

**# # # #**

 

Truth be told, Poe was loving this.  You couldn’t be a spy and not get some sort of perverse pleasure out of sneaking around and trying not to get caught and this?  This had the extra added incentive of Finn naked in a lake if he played his cards right. 

 

Poe rounded the corner and looked at his chrono.  _Only seven more minutes_.  He smiled.  _Finn, you are so getting ravaged in that lake._ He allowed himself a brief moment to picture it: Finn, naked, dripping wet, glistening in the late afternoon sun.  _Fuck, I have to win this bet_. 

 

Poe then heard something to his left.  He crept forward and peered around the corner in time to see Finn going into the building next to him.  Poe crept back down the alley, doubling back the way he came.

 

Finn looked at his chrono.  _Kriff!_   He hated to admit it, but Poe was better at this than he thought.  _Why are you getting caught all the time, Dameron?_  

 

Finn heard a noise and suddenly, he knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt where Poe was.  _That nerf-herder doubled back_.  Finn moved out of the building and into the alley.  _There’s no way in hell I’m going to be Solo to your Skywalker, Poe_.

 

# # # #

 

_Five more minutes_ , Poe told himself as he weighed the pros and cons of running across the street.  He’d be exposed for about twenty seconds, but he’d also have a lot more space to work with on the other side.  _What the hell_ , he thought as he started across.

 

He made it halfway before he heard Finn’s footsteps behind him, and he made it into an alley across the way before Finn’s hand caught his shoulder and pulled him around.  He pressed Poe into a quick kiss.

 

“KRIFFING HELL!” Poe yelled coming out of the kiss.  “I nearly had you!”

 

Finn started laughing, “Yeah, nearly.”  He shook his head.  “Thank the maker you did that!  I was starting to worry I was going to have to dress up as Solo.”

 

“Someday,” Poe said.

 

“Nope, never gonna happen, Poe.  You blew your chance.”

 

Poe laughed and then raised an eyebrow.  “Speaking of blowing…”

 

Finn shook his head.  “Oh come on, Poe, really?”

 

“Well, you gotta get something for winning.”

 

Finn chuckled.  “We’re never gonna actually reenact one of these things are we?

 

Poe took Finn’s hand and led him into the nearest building.  “We try!  Things just always get…distracting.”  Poe looked around the room; he’d been hoping for a chair or a bed, but it was empty.  _Oh well,_ he went down on his knees in front of Finn.

 

“So that’s it?  No kissing, no foreplay, no nothing?”

 

Poe looked up at Finn, “First you complain that I want to blow you and now you complain because I’m not doing it right?”

 

“Don’t I get a little romance after chasing you around for the last forty minutes?”

 

“Well, if we were staying true to the novel, you should have pushed me up against the wall in the alley back there.  Or is that too romantic for you?”  Poe began unbuttoning Finn’s pants and his grin grew as Finn’s cock sprung out, already hard.  Poe looked back up and cocked an eyebrow. 

 

Finn blushed.  “Chasing you was more…stimulating than I thought it would be.”

 

“I’ll bet,” Poe said, leaning forward and kissing the tip of Finn’s cock.  He then looked up at Finn, his smile still wide.  “Tell me,” he said as he kissed it again.

 

“Tell you what?”

 

“Tell me what turned you on about chasing me.”  With that, Poe took the head into his mouth.

 

Finn’s eyes slammed shut and he rolled up onto the balls of his feet. “Uhhhhhhh,” Finn moaned.  _Come on, keep it together_.  He leaned back onto his heels.  “I don’t know,” he said.  “You were…impressive.”

 

“Ummmmm-hmmmmmm,” Poe hummed.  He then popped off long enough to ask, “How?”  Poe began swallowing Finn down.

 

“Uhhhhhhh,” Finn tried to say.  He took a deep breath, both hands carding through Poe’s curls.  “Kriff, Poe, I don’t know.  I just…I just…I just…”  _What the fuck is he doing?_   Finn looked down to see Poe’s head bobbing up and down.  Finn’s grip in Poe’s curls tightened.

 

Poe came off of Finn with a loud slurp.  He looked up and smiled.  “You didn’t think I could do it, did you?”

 

“Not really,” Finn whispered.

 

“I’m a kriffing spy, Finn,” Poe said, hollowing out his cheeks and focusing all his attention on Finn’s cock.  As he took it in this time, he brought his hands up, twisting them around the base as his tongue teased around the head.

 

As Poe twirled his tongue just under the head, Finn gasped, “Yes, right there, Poe!”  Poe did it again and grinned through another breathless “Yes!” and then another.

 

Poe began moving down, deep throating Finn.  His eyes were watering and he was sucking in ragged breaths through his nose, but the sounds Finn was making.  Stars, those sounds were truly inspirational.

 

Finn’s grip in Poe’s hair got even tighter and that elicited a moan from Poe.

 

Finn didn’t hear it, though.  His eyes were screwed shut and he was on the tips of his toes, hoping he wasn’t going to fall over before Poe sucked his cock clean off.  “Poe,” he managed.  “I’m gonna…”

 

Poe hummed and took him even deeper, his hands grasping Finn’s ass.

 

Finn pitched forward, his body jerking as he was suddenly coming.  “Fucking hell, Poe,” he yelled.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn stayed frozen, his eyes closed and his breathing labored, for what felt like years.  He heard Poe slip off of his cock and he remembered his grip in Poe’s hair, slowly letting go of those glorious curls.  He felt Poe stand up next to him.

 

“You okay?”

 

Finn nodded and slowly rocked back on his feet.  He opened his eyes.  “Yeah, I’m good.”  He took a step forward and crushed Poe’s mouth with his own, loving that he could still taste himself on Poe’s lips.  “That was amazing.”

 

Poe smiled, kissing Finn again.  “We aim to please.”

 

Finn wrapped his arms around Poe’s shoulders and opened his mouth to continue their banter when he heard a clanging noise.  He turned towards the street.

 

Poe whispered, “That didn’t sound like the…”

 

“No, that sounded like…”  He met Poe’s eyes. 

 

Poe finished the thought.  “There’s someone in here.”

 

Finn checked the chrono.  They still had a good two and a half hours in the space.  He frowned. 

 

Poe pointed to the door.  Finn tucked his cock back into his pants and walked over to it, cracking it open.  His eyes went wide.  He held up three fingers to Poe, who nodded and then began searching for a back door.  When he found one, he motioned for Finn to follow.

 

Finn nodded, and they went out the back.  They ran to the next building, ducking inside.  Finn whispered, “It’s the guy from the sabacc game.”

 

“The guy you beat?”

 

“Yeah, him and two huge Mandalorians”

 

“Kriff,” Poe said.  “I’m guessing they’re not here to add atmosphere.”

 

“I’m guessing not.”

 

“So what’s the plan,” Poe asked.

 

“Get to the front and alert security?”

 

Poe nodded and then frowned.  “You remember where the front is?”

 

Finn smiled.  “Yeah, I do.  So, just stay on my six?”

 

“Always,” Poe whispered as they ran outside.

 

They made it about halfway to the front of the space before their pursuers caught up with them.

 

Finn finally decided they might as well face them.  He turned and Poe followed suit.  Finn huffed out, “What do you want?”

 

The sabacc player stepped forward.  “I want my 60,000 credits.”

 

“Too bad,” Finn said.  “I won.”

 

“You cheated,” the man sneered.

 

“You can’t cheat at sabacc,” Finn said.  He then turned to Poe.  “Right?  I mean, I always assumed because of the computer being involved…”  Poe shot him a _not now, dear_ look and Finn refocused.  “I didn’t cheat.  You’re just a sore loser.”

 

The man laughed.  “Well, let’s see what my friends think about that.”

 

The two Mandalorians moved forward.

 

Poe wanted to laugh.  This was straight out of _The Hutt Gambit_.  “Finn, please tell me you didn’t hire—”

 

“Very real thugs, Poe.  Very real thugs who really want to hurt us,” Finn said, getting into a fighting stance.

 

Poe bounced up and down, loosening his limbs.  “Okay, then.  Let’s see what they’ve got.”

 

The truth of the matter was, Finn knew that he was better than Poe when it came to hand-to-hand, but the truth of the matter was, Poe was no slouch.  Finn was just really that good.

 

The two Mandalorians walked forward.  One of them swung at Poe, who darted out of the way.  Finn caught the Mandalorian’s arm and used his momentum against him.  He threw the Mandalorian off balance and into his associate.  He then ran at the two of them and within seconds, they were both on the ground.

 

Poe chuckled and turned to the gambler.  “Yeah, he’s not only a brilliant sabacc player but he’s probably the best all-around fighter in the Resistance—and that includes a Jedi padawan.  Although you wouldn’t want to go up against her either.”

 

The man yelled and rushed at Poe.  Before he could get a swing in, Poe’s leg shot out, hitting the man in the jaw.  He crumpled to the ground.  “Oh, and I’ve had some training too.”

 

Finn stood up and brushed himself off, staring down at the two unconscious Mandalorians and then at the gambler.  “Not bad, Dameron.”

 

“You weren’t so bad yourself, Finn.”  He stared around.  “So now what?”

 

“Now, we go tell management that there are three unconscious criminals in here.”

 

“So much for _The Hutt Gambit_ ,” Poe mumbled.

 

Finn threw an arm around Poe and squeezed.  “Come on, admit it.  This was still kind of fun.”

 

**# # # #**

 

It took two hours. 

 

The management was horrified, and they kept apologizing for the breach in security.  Then, the local police showed up.  There were questions and more questions and no one seemed to believe that Finn had taken down the two Mandalorian bounty hunters on his own.

 

Eventually, though, Poe and Finn were able to leave.

 

As they came out of the building, Poe started talking loudly.  “Fuck!  Did that just happen?” Poe was bouncing, he was so keyed up.  He ran both hands through his hair and stared back at the building.

 

“Yeah, that happened,” Finn said, trying to convince himself more than anything.  He shook his head and looked back. 

 

The owners of the space had been so embarrassed by the situation that they’d offered Finn a full refund.  He was still wrapping his head around that, too.  He had 60,000 credits to spend however he wanted to.  He kept shaking his head.  _Sixty thousand credits_.  It didn’t seem real.

 

As they turned the corner into a dark alley, Poe grabbed Finn’s neck and pulled him into a quick kiss.  Finn could feel Poe’s erection.  “Kriff, Poe.  We never got to—”

 

“Nah, it’s okay, Finn.  There’s no way you could’ve seen that coming.”

 

“Still…”

 

“I’m fine, babe.  I promise.”  Poe gave him a quick peck on the cheek and started to the far end of the alley.  He was practically dancing, he had so much energy.

 

Finn was still dazed, so perhaps it was the excess adrenaline or the pent-up sexual frustration, but he’d never be able to explain why he did what he did next.

 

Finn quickly checked both ends of the alley.  No one was around.

 

He caught up to Poe and grabbed his arm.  “It’s not okay,” he growled.  “You need to get off.”

 

“What, Finn…”

 

Finn was pushing him back into the wall.

 

“Kriff, Finn, what’s got into you?”

 

Finn spun Poe so he was facing the wall and kissed the back of Poe’s neck.  “Don’t know,” he said.  “But we’re gonna finish this.”  His hands had already moved forward and were unbuttoning Poe’s pants.

 

“Finn,” Poe managed before he realized that _this is really happening_.  Poe planted both hands against the wall, so he could push back against Finn.

 

“Gonna have to be quick, baby,” Finn whispered, taking Poe’s cock in his hand.  “Okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Poe managed.  “Whatever you want.”  He was already panting and they hadn’t done anything yet.  Finn began stroking him.

 

Poe felt Finn rummaging in his pockets with his free hand.  Finn grabbed the small bottle of lube Poe always managed to keep on him.  Poe wanted to ask why Finn needed it when Finn pulled the back of his pants down. 

 

Poe suddenly felt a lubed-up finger teasing his hole.  _Oh stars, Finn, what are we about to d—_   He couldn’t even finish the thought as Finn worked a finger in quickly.  Finn let go of Poe’s cock and moved to hold Poe’s chest.  As Finn worked a second finger in, his mouth was at Poe’s ear.  “Stroke yourself,” he said.  Poe did as he was told.

 

Poe shut his eyes and leaned his head forward.  Everything was rushed and urgent and he didn’t have time to process a thought, let alone the million different sensations firing across his body.

 

Finn bit at Poe’s neck as he worked in a third finger and Poe started rutting back against Finn in earnest.  He heard himself whimper.  Finn’s teeth grazed his shoulder.  “Shhhhhhhh, Poe.” 

 

Poe bit his lip and tried to concentrate on being quiet.  _It’s too much_ , his brain said.  _Too much_.

 

Finn pulled his fingers out.  “You ready?”

 

Poe didn’t trust himself to speak.  He nodded.

 

“It’s not gonna be nice.”

 

“Finn,” Poe growled.

 

Finn pressed in and started pounding into Poe.  Finn’s arm was like a vice around Poe’s chest and Poe felt his own arm shaking as he tried to push back from the wall.  His hand around his cock froze as Finn seemed to envelope him.  “Oh fuck, Finn,” Poe whispered. 

 

Finn grabbed Poe’s hair and yanked his head to the side, capturing his mouth in a kiss, and at that moment, Poe lost all sense of time and space.  He was pretty sure he left his body—everything was sensation.  He let out a short sob, leaning his head back.  Finn’s hand moved to his throat, gently holding him in place.  “That’s it, baby,” Finn whispered, kissing his neck.

 

Finn thrust in just right, and Poe’s head snapped forward.  He came all over his hand and the wall with a loud grunt, tears leaking from his eyes.

 

Finn’s fingers dug into Poe.  He thrust once, twice, three times, and with the fourth, he gave a guttural yell, coming in Poe.  Finn’s body spasmed and his lips found the back of Poe’s head.  As his body shook again, he gasped for breath, hoping he wasn’t going to faint from the sheer force of his orgasm.

 

# # # #

 

Typically, they liked to cuddle, but as first, Poe, and then, Finn, realized where they were and the state they were in, they pushed away from each other, buttoning pants, readjusting shirts, and trying to catch their breaths and clean up before anyone caught them. 

 

Poe looked at Finn, who was covered in sweat and who looked positively wrecked.  “You…you…”  _Dammit, have to catch my breath_.  “You good?”

 

Finn nodded, breathless.  “You?”

 

Poe nodded, his eyes wide and a grin spreading across his face.  He scanned the alley.  _Still quiet.  Still alone._   “Did we just do that?”

 

“Yeah,” Finn said, and that’s when his adrenaline high crashed.  He was suddenly tired and sweaty and fairly certain he’d just out Dameron-ed Dameron in rushing headfirst into something totally reckless and _well, kind of amazing_ , Finn admitted.

 

He walked over to Poe and bumped his shoulder into Poe’s.  “Come on.  I don’t know about you, but I really want to get out of these clothes and into a fresher.”

 

**# # # #**

 

As they walked back into the hotel, Poe nodded towards the bar.  Finn raised an eyebrow and Poe answered, “Still too keyed up to sleep.  Need something to take the edge off.”

 

Finn nodded, and they headed to the bar.

 

Poe leaned in, whispering, “I don’t care about the lake anymore, Finn.  That was seriously the hottest thing that’s ever happened to me.”

 

“Really?” Finn asked, shrugging.  “The hottest?”  He sounded thoroughly unimpressed.

 

“What do you mean _really_?  Are you holding back on me?”  _Were there some crazy Stormtrooper orgies that you aren’t telling me about?_

 

Finn held his serious face for one more second before laughing.  “You are too easy, Dameron.”

 

“I’ll say,” came Jessika’s very inebriated voice.

 

Poe stopped dead in his tracks.  “Testor, why aren’t you…”  That’s when he noticed Bastian and Snap, both asleep on the bar.  “Kriff!”  He moved to check on the two men as Jess pawed at Finn, “How was the date,” she asked, eyeing both of them up and down.

 

Finn caught Poe’s eye and finally settled on “Eventful.”

 

Jess let out a grunt. 

 

Finn leaned in and began trying to get her out of her chair.  “Come on.  I’ll tell you all about it on the way to your room.”

 

Poe shot him a look of pure terror.  Finn shook his head where Jess couldn’t see.   _Like I’d really tell her anything._

 

Jess stumbled into Finn.  “Let me ask you something, Finny.”

 

Finn waited but she seemed to be falling asleep.  “Come on, Jess,” he said, nudging her forward.

 

“Oh yeah.”  She stumbled and he caught her.  “As I was saying, you two had sex in the TIE fighter, right?”

 

“Good luck,” Poe said as he turned to Snap and Bastian.  “Okay Wexley, baby bird.  Come on, you two.”  He began shaking them.  “Time to go to bed.”

 

“Was in bed, Commander,” Bastian mumbled.

 

“Nope, you were asleep on the bar,” Poe said, far too cheerfully.

 

Snap grabbed his head.  “Why in the kriff did you let me drink with Jess?”

 

“I sent you down here to stop her from drinking, Snap.”

 

“Oh yeah.” 

 

Poe corralled both men and moved them towards the elevator where Finn was waiting with an unconscious Jess.  As Poe herded the two men in, Finn said, “So what’s this about us having sex in a TIE fighter?”

 

“You had sex in a TIE fighter?” Snap slurred.

 

“Sure,” Poe said.  “That’s why we got shot down.”  He pressed the button to their floor.

 

Finn shook his head.  “The best and brightest of the Resistance.”

 

“Damn right,” Poe said just as Jess’ eyes flew open and she threw up on his shoes.

 

Finn began to laugh.  “Next time, I’m catching you in thirty minutes.”

 

Poe couldn’t help his laugh as he stared at his newly-ruined shoes.  “You’re on.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Coruscant Conundrum


	5. The Coruscant Conundrum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An undercover mission. A First Order officer’s uniform. One of Poe’s cheesy romance novels. It would’ve been the perfect combination if not for everything going wrong. But eventually, both Poe and Finn are on leave, and they still have the uniform…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be aware of the new tags...

 

Over the years, Poe Dameron has perfected the art of looking calm.  It’s all in the slowness.  If you can keep your breathing steady and make every movement deliberate and measured, you can fake it.  _Like now_ , Poe tells himself.  He desperately wants to glance to the left and see what in the hell is going on with Jess, but instead, he keeps his gaze firm on the Stormtrooper right in front of him, the one yelling at him, threatening him with all of the standard Stormtrooper crap. 

 

He’s heard it before.  He closes his eyes for a moment as he realizes that he will almost certainly hear it again. 

 

The Stormtrooper in question begins hauling him up by his manacled hands, and Poe steals a glance to the left.  He has to fight smiling.  _Thank the maker; they didn’t catch Jess._   He slowly turns his head back to face the trooper.  “Now what?”

 

“Now I take you to Commander Rinde, scum.”

 

_Exactly what I’d hoped you’d say._   Poe can’t help himself: “Why scum?  There have to be better slurs than _scum_.  Kriff, I’d settle for a simple _thief_ or _degenerate_ , but it’s always _scum_ —”

 

The trooper pushes him forward and Poe has to work not to topple over, trying to find his balance.  “Fine.  Scum it is.”  The trooper loads him onto a transport, and Poe works to calm his heartrate now that he knows Jess is safe. 

 

_They were early_ , he muses as the transport lifts off.  _Something is wrong._   As the ship jostles through atmo, he allows himself a brief frown before resettling his face in a mask.  _At least they’re taking me where I want to go…_

 

**# # # #**

Commander Rinde has been running Echelon base in the Outer Rim for exactly two months, two weeks, and six days.  It is not a particularly glamourous post.  There is little room for advancement and frankly, not much happens other than picking up various pirates, smugglers, and the occasional defector.  It’s a sort of way station for First Order followers either moving up the ranks or falling down them.  Rinde is special, though, in that he is neither rising nor falling. 

 

His second in command, Nas, is young and ambitious, clearly wanting to leave Echelon for one of the more active bases or star destroyers.  _That must be why he manages to say everything with a sense of urgency_ , Rinde reflects as Nas comes bursting into his office.  “Troop One-Oh-Seven is bringing back a prisoner from Felucia; they’ll be landing shortly.  Once he’s processed, what do you want to do?”

 

Rinde fights the urge to roll his eyes.  Nas knows what the protocol is.  He doesn’t need to check in for every single prisoner and yet, he insists on it.  _This would be the perfect place if only Nas would relax or just go ahead and get promoted_ , Rinde thinks.  He doesn’t hold the other man’s ambition against him, necessarily, but to be honest, that ambition is a bit dangerous.  _Ambitious people tend to be the ones who muck up carefully laid plans._   Rinde is about to tell Nas simply to follow the usual routine when something sticks in his head.  “Did you say Felucia?”

 

“Yes,” Nas says, reading his datapad.  “Humanoid male.  Approximately 33 years.  Smuggler by the looks of it.  Didn’t provide a name.  Still waiting on the blood ident.”

 

_He’s early_ , Rinde thinks.  “Bring him to my office when they land.”

 

“Sir?”

 

Rinde can’t help but smile.  “I said bring him to my office when they land.  Is anything wrong, Lieutenant Nas?”

 

“No, sir.  It’s just that typically—”

 

“Typically, prisoners are processed and sent to holding while we verify their idents and wait for orders from high command, and I never have to deal with any of it, but as you insist on coming in here _every time we catch someone_ , I figured it was time that I inserted myself into the process.”

 

Nas is clearly flustered but manages a quick nod.  “Yes, sir.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Two Stormtroopers escort Poe down a series of black and white halls and into a large office.  There is a man dressed in black at the far end of the room, staring out onto the hangar below them, his back to Poe.  Without turning he says, “You may leave.”  The Stormtroopers seem hesitant, sharing a quick glance with each other before turning and exiting. 

 

Poe waits for the door to hiss shut before relaxing.  Rinde turns and gives him a quick once over before raising his eyebrow.

 

Poe smiles and holds up his manacled hands.  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”

 

Rinde crosses the room in three long strides, cups Poe’s face in his hands and kisses him like it’s been two months, three weeks, and one day since he’s seen him.  The kiss deepens almost immediately and Poe moans into it, clearly frustrated by the manacles.

 

“Finn,” Poe breathes as they finally break apart.

 

The other man is still cupping his face, taking it in, but there is a question in his eyes.

 

Poe shakes his head and slides into the nearest chair.  “Don’t ask.”

 

‘Rinde’ cocks his head and raises an eyebrow but doesn’t move.

 

“Fine,” Poe says.  “For some reason, your people were early.  The rest of the crew got out, but I figured I’d turn a major cock up into a win, so here I am.”  He leans back into the chair, resting his eyes.

 

Finn squats next to the chair, speaking in low tones.  “Poe, what am I supposed to do with you?  I don’t have things ready yet.  You’re not supposed to be here until next week.” 

 

Poe is a bit distracted by just how well his boyfriend fills out a First Order officer’s uniform to appreciate the anxiety in Finn’s voice.  But then he catches the worry in his boyfriend’s eyes.  “I know, _Rinde_.  Your. People. Were. Early.” 

 

Finn sighs, moving back to his desk and leaning against it.  “Any ideas, Poe?”

 

“We move up the timetable?”

 

Finn looks up at the ceiling, trying to figure out what that would entail.  “Any other ideas?”

 

“Not really.  I’m still trying to figure out who screwed up.”

 

Finn shakes his head and moves around his desk.  “Given the way our messages bounce around, I’m guessing it was during the relay from point A to point B to point C.”

 

“But you and I both knew the correct date,” Poe insists. 

 

_That’s what has me worried_ , Finn thinks.  He stares at the door to his office and wonders, _Nas?_   “Well, obviously, one of us got the dates of the patrols wrong or some ambitious underling changed them without telling me.”  Finn stares at the datapad on his desk.  “Whatever it is, you’re here now and we need to deal with that.”  Finn takes a breath.  “How am I going to keep you from getting identified and sent away,” he says to himself.  “Your blood is already being processed.  As soon as it hits for Poe Dameron…”  He doesn’t want to finish that thought.  He really doesn’t want to finish that thought.

 

“We move up the extraction.”

 

“Yes, sweetheart, but it is still going to take a day or two to make the necessary arrangements, and I can’t simply keep you in here during that time.”  Poe’s eyes go all suggestive and sexy.  Finn does his best to ignore him.  “As tempting as that might be.”

 

“I’ve never known the First Order bureaucracy to move quickly when it came to Outer Rim smugglers,” Poe offers.  “My guess is that the blood ident will take a while.  Put me in the cells for a day and then interrogate me, just like we originally planned.”

 

Finn frowns.  That’s the part of the plan that’s always worried him.  _If it were anyone other than Poe…_   He shakes his head.  The plan would’ve been easier a week from now when he was scheduled to receive a falsified order from high command about interrogation techniques and half of the base was due to be out on training maneuvers.  “I’ll figure out something,” he says, again more to himself than Poe.  He looks at Poe.  “In the meantime, keep yourself out of trouble.”

 

Poe smirks.  “Don’t I always?”

 

Finn can’t manage a smile back.  He presses a button.  “The troopers can escort the prisoner back to holding now.”  His eyes give it all away—worry, fear, love.  Poe stands up.  He wants to press his hands to Finn’s face, soothe out all of that tension.

 

The doors hiss open, and the transformation is startling.  Finn is gone, replaced by the sneering Rinde.  It shakes Poe just a bit.

 

**# # # #**

 

The plan had practically fallen into their laps readymade.  During a routine scouting mission, Poe and Snap encountered the real Commander Rinde and managed to get him and his ship to the Resistance base without much of a fight.  Seems that the real Rinde was on his way down in the First Order hierarchy and didn’t have the enthusiasm for the work he once did; he gave up and gave in quickly.

 

After a cursory search of the Commander’s shuttle, Finn went to the General.  They stayed in her office for a little over an hour and when they emerged, the plan was set.  Rinde wasn’t well known within the First Order ranks at Echelon base; he and Finn looked passably alike, so it wouldn’t be that hard to change a few pieces of data and substitute Finn as the new Rinde.

 

“No,” rang out one loud voice.  “This is dangerous, and it’s going to get him killed!” 

 

The General kept her voice even, “Captain Finn and I have discussed this and we believe that the risks are relatively low.”  Poe snorted and the General chose to ignore him.  She continued, “Plus, given his unique background, the Captain is well suited for this mission.  It could give us the edge we need with the First Order in the Outer Rim territories.”  Both the General and Finn leveled their most serious _don’t-fuck-with-me-Dameron_ looks at Poe, and he backed down.  For the moment.

 

During the next few hours, Poe remained vocal in his displeasure and his volume grew until the General threatened to remove him from command altogether.  At that point, he settled into quiet grumbling. 

 

Finn allowed the grumbling for about ten minutes before he took his boyfriend by the collar and drug him to a supply closet just outside of command.  He gently threw Poe in the closet and let the door close behind them as he huffed, “How many undercover missions or missions where you were disavowed have you taken in the past year, Poe?”

 

“But that’s differ—”

 

“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence, Dameron!  It is not different.  The only difference is, for some reason, my boyfriend doesn’t seem to think I can handle—”

 

“Kriff, Finn, it’s not that.  Of course, you can handle it!”

 

“Then what’s the problem, Poe?”

 

“What’s the problem?  You are willingly going to a First Order base to impersonate an officer.  If anything goes wrong, they have you.  The thought of you…”  Poe started breathing heavily. 

 

Finn walked over and put his hands around the pilot, resting his forehead against Poe’s.  “Poe, breathe with me.  Innnnn and outtttt.  Innnnn and outttt.” Finn kept repeating it until he felt Poe’s breathing slow.  Poe was still shaking as Finn leaned back.  “Baby, I know there’s risks but you have to trust me.  I can do this, okay?”

 

Poe didn’t look convinced, but he also knew he was being a hypocrite.  “Fine,” he said.  “But I’m gonna be the one to come get you.  Whatever you’ve got cooked up for an extraction, I’m part of it, okay?”

 

Finn forced himself to smile as he said, “Okay, baby.”  _You aren’t going to like it._

 

**# # # #**

 

_I don’t like it._   Poe hates to admit it, but he’s worried. 

 

Poe and his team were supposed to land on Felucia, set up shop there as “smugglers,” get the attention of the First Order, and then he was supposed to get “captured.”   The problem is, Finn’s people were nearly a week early, so nothing was ready—not Poe’s hidden weapons, not the fake interrogation, nothing.  And the original plan had Poe in holding for a few hours at most. 

 

After a day and a half in a cell, Poe isn’t sure how much longer he can wear the wig and contacts he’s using to mask his identity.  As it is, he is ready to claw at his eyes.  Plus, there is that looming blood ident and the fact that someone jumped the gun…

 

Finally, two Stormtroopers come to Poe’s cell to escort him to interrogation.  He is shocked that Finn isn’t in the room when they arrive, and he can’t help how his hands shake as the troopers strap him into the metal interrogation chair.  _Finn is coming_ , he tells himself over and over _.  I believe in Finn._

 

It feels like hours before Finn enters the room looking flushed.  “That will be all,” he says briskly.  As soon as the Stormtroopers leave, he begins releasing Poe.  “Sorry,” he whispers.  He places a quick kiss on Poe’s cheek.  “Nothing is going right here.” 

 

Poe is squirming, not so much to help Finn as to get his limbs out of the chair faster.  As soon as he’s free, he grabs Finn and pulls him in for a kiss.  _I knew you’d come.  You always come_.  As they break off the kiss, he asks, “Finn, are we going to be able—”

 

“We don’t have a choice.  If this is going to happen, it’s got to happen now.  I got word about the blood ident twenty minutes ago.”

 

Suddenly, a series of alarms goes off.  Poe snaps his head to Finn, who quickly explains, “We just had a mass escape in the prisoner block.  Should create enough of a diversion to get us—”

 

“That wasn’t the plan, Finn.”

 

“We had to change the plan, Poe.”

 

There’s a lot of shouting now and blaster fire in the halls. 

 

“Kriffing hell,” Poe swears as he grabs the blaster that Finn is holding out.  He goes to the door and lets it slide open.  Almost immediately, they take fire.  Finn yells.  Poe doesn’t have time to look as he returns fire.  One of the escaped prisoners falls; another runs from the open door.

 

There’s more shouting and a lot more blaster fire.  Poe peeks into the hall, shouting back, “Finn!  Finn, you with me?”

 

“Yeah,” Finn heaves.  Poe turns.  He goes pale.  Finn is clutching his side.  _No! Why in the galaxy is everything going so kriffing wrong!_   Poe is next to his boyfriend in an instant.  “Finn, how bad is it?” 

 

“Not that bad.” 

 

Poe knows he’s lying, but he also knows they are in more danger the longer they stay here.  “I’m sorry, baby, but we have to move.” 

 

Finn closes his eyes and nods again.   “Yeah.”  Finn’s struggling; Poe can hear it.  He makes it to the door, falling in behind Poe. 

 

Still scanning the hall, Poe says, “Which way to the hangar?”

 

“Down the hall to the left.  First right.  Go two halls and then a left.” 

 

Poe nods.  “On my six, okay?”  He takes off at a nice jog.  The blaster fire seems mostly behind them.  _Thank the maker for small miracles_ , he thinks, rounding the first corner. 

 

He spares a moment to look behind him where Finn is managing—impressively—to keep up.  Poe shrugs out of his oversized jacket and rips the wig off his head.  “Oh, that is so much better.”  He shakes his head, letting his hair fall free, and turns to Finn.  “How you doing?” 

 

Finn nods, breathing heavily.  “Not a damn child, Poe.  I’ve had worse.  We both know it.”  He smiles.  Poe doesn’t know whether he wants to kiss him or clock him.  He settles for an unimpressed look before trotting off to the first intersection; he stops and glances around the corner.  “Clear,” he whispers and Finn follows. 

 

Poe doesn’t make it three more steps before a squad of Stormtroopers rounds the corner in front of him following a rather stern-looking officer.  They don’t seem all that surprised to see him with their wounded commander.

 

“Commander Rinde,” the officer bites out.  “Going somewhere?”

 

“You moved up the patrol date, you little—”

 

“Couldn’t figure out what you were up to, Rinde.  And now I know.  Nice to meet you, Commander Dameron.”  Nas nods at Poe.

 

“Guess you saw the blood ident,” Poe says.

 

Finn is standing next to Poe with his arms behind his back.  His left arm tenses ever so slightly. 

 

Poe wants to burst into a grin, but he can’t, so he settles for some slightly arrogant whooping in his head.  That’s the thing about being with someone for as long as he’s been with Finn—there’s a shorthand that develops, a shorthand that says _I have a flash grenade in my hand.  Be ready to use it_.

 

“Nas,” Finn says.  “You always were a bit too ambitious for your own good.”

 

“How dare you, you Resistance scum—”

 

Poe throws the grenade, and he and Finn are already moving forward.

 

Poe takes out two of the Stormtroopers in two clean shots; Finn smiles.  _Everyone seems to forget we’re both good shots._   Finn gets another one as he walks forward.  _That’s right!  Both of us!_

 

Finn forces the pain from his wound away for the next few moments as he grabs Nas, still blinking from the grenade.  He lifts the man.  “You wanna know why you’re never gonna make it as an officer, Nas?”  He shoves the man into a wall.  “You should have seen that coming.”  He punches him.  “I would have.”   An unconscious Nas slides to the floor.  “And come up with something better than _scum_!”  He turns to see that Poe has dispatched the fourth Stormtrooper.

 

Poe has an eyebrow up, staring at Finn.

 

“Ambitious little moof-milker nearly screwed everything up.”  Oh, he wants to kick Nas.

 

Poe smiles and puts an arm around his boyfriend.  “One more hallway?” Poe asks. 

 

Finn tries to answer but suddenly the pain is returning and he is panting far too heavily.  He nods and finally manages, “Yeah, one more hallway on the left.”  Poe shoots him a look but Finn shakes his head.  “I’m fine, Poe.”

 

Poe reluctantly runs to the next intersection.  The sound of shouting and blasters is getting close; they need to leave.  The hall is clear; he motions back to Finn.  Poe stares into the hangar.  There are troopers running around, not many, but enough to cause problems.  He closes his eyes, trying to come up with a plan.  Finn comes up beside him; he is fading fast. 

 

“Any ideas?” 

 

Finn slowly replies, “No.”

 

Poe frowns.  _You’re a prisoner of the First Order and you need to get off this planet with your injured boyfriend…who is impersonating a First Order officer_.  That’s when it hits him.  He rights his shoulders and glances at Finn.  “Remember the Finalizer?” 

 

Finn shoots him the most incredulous look he can manage, but he gets the gist of what Poe’s going for.  He takes his blaster and points it into Poe’s side.  He then says, far more forcefully than Poe would expect, “No matter what happens, walk like you are broken and following orders.  Understood?”

 

“Keep calm?” Poe says with a smile.

 

“I love you,” Finn says.

 

“I know,” Poe whispers as he opens the door and marches in. 

 

At first none of the Stormtroopers reacts; Poe keeps moving, his hands crossed in front of him ( _please don’t notice there aren’t any manacles_ ) and his head down.  Finn stops and it scares Poe for a moment. 

 

Finn sounds confident as he shouts, “High command have ordered an evacuation.  Make sure the large transport can be ready to go in ten minutes.”  When no one moves, he adds, “Now!  We don’t have a moment to lose!”  The Stormtroopers spring to life.  Finn pushes Poe to a small transport. 

 

_That shouldn’t have worked_ , Poe thinks.  _Not again_. 

 

Poe sprints to the cockpit and begins warming up the ship.  He calls back, “Find a med kit.” 

 

Finn rolls his eyes.  _You think?_   He loves Poe, but the overprotectiveness is a bit much sometimes.  Finn finds some bacta patches and works to clean up the wound as best he can. 

 

Poe finishes the pre-flight and is fairly confident he can take off.  He turns to ask Finn how he is when the man himself collapses into the co-pilot seat.  “How are you?”

 

“I think I’ll live.”  A sudden cacophony of blaster fire in the hangar interrupts him.  “Of course, the chances of that happening would be better if someone would get us the hell out of here!”

 

“Kriffing hell!”  Poe punches a series of buttons.  The ship rises. 

 

Poe pilots them out of the hangar and across the base.  Finn is glad he’s strapped himself in.  It is the bumpiest flight he’d ever been on as Poe swerves to avoid incoming fire.  Finn instinctively reaches for the gunner’s controls.  His side isn’t hurting like it was thanks to the bacta, so he’s able to focus on shooting down any stray TIEs that get too close.  Poe stays low across the base.  He then starts flipping switches and inputting coordinates into the nav system. 

 

“How long,” Finn asks.

 

Poe says nothing, keeps fiddling with the controls.

 

“Poe?” Finn asks, a bit more forcefully.

 

Poe grunts.  “The nav system on this thing is…not good.  Gonna take me a bit longer than I’d like.”  He points to a monitor.  “Just tell me if anything shows up on that.”

 

Finn nods.  Poe is pressing buttons and swearing under his breath.  “Nothing can go right here, can it?”

 

Finn can’t help but smile.  Poe is almost always calm under pressure, to the point of being cocky.  It’s refreshing sometimes to see the façade fall just a bit.  Especially because he knows if anyone can get them out of this, it’s Poe.

 

A beeping on the monitor drags Finn away from his Poe-appreciation. “Shit,” he says.  “Three incoming.”

 

Poe looks at the nav computer and then to the monitor where Finn is pointing.  “Thirty seconds,” he says to himself.  “Thirty seconds.  Come on.  Come on.  We can make it.  Please.”

 

Finn finds himself whispering along with Poe, “Come on.”  He starts firing at the incoming TIEs.

 

Suddenly, an alarm pings and Poe jumps into action.  He steers the ship straight up and they brake atmo.  “Sub-Lightspeed,” Poe yells, flipping a switch.  “And hyperdrive on my mark.  Go!” He presses a button and everything shakes as the ship goes to lightspeed.  Finn pitches forward and backward so quickly he thinks he might have broken his neck.

 

**# # # #**

 

Poe is breathing hard, trying to accept the fact that they’ve made the jump and are still in one piece.  His hands are gripping the control panel a bit tighter than usual.  He eases them off and leans back into his seat.  _Well, it wasn’t pretty, but we did it._  Poe rubs his hands over his face and laughs.  He turns to Finn sitting next to him, who is smiling like an idiot, staring out the cockpit window, clearly happy to be alive.

 

“Good to have you back, Captain.”

 

“Good to be back, Commander.”

 

Poe glances at Finn’s hands, grasping his side.  “How bad is it?”

 

Finn frowns.  “I’ll live.”  Poe leans forward to look and Finn leans back.  “Poe, I promise.  They grazed me.” 

 

Poe fears it’s more than that, but he lets it be.  He leans back into his seat.  “Something finally went right.” 

 

Poe closes his eyes for a moment and sighs.  Then he opens them and offers Finn a truly rakish grin.  “It’s a shame.”

 

Finn raises an eyebrow.

 

“I had some dirty little fantasies involving a First Order officer ‘interrogating’ me during our ride back to Felucia.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

Poe nods.  “Truly filthy.”  He shakes his head.  “Shame about your wound.”

 

Finn smiles.  “It’ll heal eventually.”

 

“True…”

 

“And I’m guessing the General will let me keep the uniform.”

 

“There’s a hole in it, sweetheart.”

 

“Are you gonna work with me or not, Dameron?”

 

They both smile, and there is a pleasant silence as they both begin imagining truly debauched scenarios between the First Order officer and the Resistance pilot. 

 

At the same time, it dawns on them.  “ _The Coruscant Conundrum_ ,” they both shout out.  It’s one of Poe’s favorite romance novels. 

 

Poe starts laughing.  “We could re-enact the entire…” 

 

Finn is laughing too.  “We’d need to find someplace away from the barracks, and we’d need some manacles, but yeah…”

 

Their eyes meet, and it’s decided upon without another word being spoken: as soon as Finn is healed, he’s going to have to “interrogate” Poe.

 

Poe leans back, “And you thought my romance novels were bad.”

 

Finn rolls his eyes.  “They _are_ bad.  Doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.”

 

**# # # #**

 

By the time Finn’s wound heals and he’s cleared for duty, Poe is back out on a mission.  When Poe gets back, Finn is gone, and for the next two months, they are like ships passing in the night.  As soon as one returns, the other is called out. 

 

They barely see each other, and by the end of the two months, both Poe and Finn are on edge.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn comes back to their quarters and slumps onto the bed.  He picks up his datapad and mindlessly flicks through his messages.  One new message catches his eye.

 

_Due home in 3 days; requested adt’l 3 days leave both of us.  General approved.  Stock up room; don’t plan on leaving it. ~P_

 

Finn chuckles to himself and then feels a lovely sense of anticipation filter through his body.  Three whole days with Poe; three days to hold him in his arms and breathe him in _._

_I need to plan a proper homecoming_ , Finn thinks, making a mental list of supplies.  _Lube, jogan fruit jam, extra sheets and towels.  Food and drink, of course…_  

 

Finn gets up, suddenly full of energy, and that’s when he spots it, tucked under their bed.  He kneels down and pulls out the First Order uniform.  “Commander Rinde, I’d forgotten all about you.”  Finn wonders if he knows anyone who can patch the hole in the side. 

 

As it turns out, he does.

 

**# # # #**

 

It’s day two of their three-day leave and Poe wakes up to find himself alone.  “Finn?”  He sits up.  He’s actually used to waking up alone—he’s done it more often than not in the past two months—but Finn should be here.  “Finn, honey?”

 

Poe pushes himself off the bed, contemplating getting dressed and searching for his wayward boyfriend when he notices Finn’s datapad propped up on the desk.  _Finn never leaves that out.  I do, but Finn_ …He reaches for it and flicks it on.  He has a message waiting for him.

 

_The Coruscant Conundrum, remember?  The Imperial officer is waiting to “interrogate” his Rebel prisoner in the old training rooms on the far side of the base.  Come immediately.  Wear something you don’t mind getting ruined.  Safe words: green/yellow/red._

 

Poe couldn’t help his shiver as he re-read the message.  He’d forgotten all about Commander Rinde and that First Order uniform.  Poe trips getting out of the bed thinking about how good Finn looked in it and all of the dirty things they’d talked about doing.  He quickly pushes himself up and runs to his closet, desperately searching for clothes he doesn’t mind losing. 

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn meets him outside the door to one of the old training rooms.  “Now, are you sure you’re okay with this?”

 

Poe is too lost in the way Finn fills out the uniform to hear him at first.  “I’m sorry.  What?”

 

“Poe, pay attention.  Look at me.  No, my eyes, Poe.  Look up here.”  Finn takes Poe’s head and forces it up. 

 

Poe smiles and licks his lips.  “Sorry, babe.  You just, um, you look really good in that uniform.”

 

Finn rolls his eyes, but then he plants a quick kiss on Poe’s lips.  “I repeat, are you sure you’re okay with this—the manacles and the being restrained?”

 

“Yeah, Finn.  I’m good.”  Finn opens his mouth and Poe adds, “And we have the safe words if I’m not.  Trust me.”

 

“Okay.  Do you want to put them on or do you want me to?”

 

“You do it,” Poe says with a wink.

 

“Poe! I’m trying to be serious here.”

 

“And I’m trying to get laid.”

 

Finn laughs despite himself.  “Fine, Dameron.  Have it your way.”  He produces the manacles and snaps them on Poe’s wrists.  “Once we go in there, I’m an Imperial officer, okay?”

 

“Imperial officer.  Got it.  And I am?”

 

“You’re a Rebel spy, Poe.  Come on, you’ve read the book!  You’re a sexy Rebel spy that the Imperial officer wants to seduce.”

 

“Oh, Officer Finn!”

 

Finn pushes Poe into the room with a shake of his head. 

 

Poe gapes at the setting.  It’s clear Finn has put some thought into this.  There’s a desk with two chairs and a bed in the corner.  It’s just like in the book. 

 

Poe turns to say something to Finn when Finn shoves him forward hard.   The door shuts behind them with a clang.  “Now, Rebel scum, you and I are going to have a talk.  You are going to tell me everything you know about the secret Rebel base, and if I like what I hear, I might just let you live.”

 

Poe has to admit that Finn in command mode does things to him.  He’s already hard.  It’s bad enough that Finn’s voice has gotten all deep and imposing, but _that uniform_ : Finn is in form-fitting head-to-toe black.  Black gloves, black boots, a tight black belt around his waist.  Poe fights the urge to bite his lip.

 

But then, Poe remembers he has a part to play.  He squares his shoulders and cocks his head to the side.  “Look, pal, I don’t know who you think you’re dealing with, but even if I did know the location of the Rebel’s secret base, I wouldn’t be sharing it with the likes of you.”

 

Finn’s face is steely.  He puts his hands behind his back and walks around behind Poe.  He jerks a chair over and forces Poe into it.  Standing behind his prisoner, Finn keeps his hands on Poe’s shoulders and leans in close, his voice barely above a whisper.  “You may address me as Commander or Sir, do you understand, scum?”

 

Poe starts to mouth off when Finn’s hands dig into his shoulders—it isn’t quite painful, but it is definitely dominating.  Poe shivers.  “Yes, sir,” he bites out, trying to force himself out of Finn’s grasp, but Finn is holding on too tight.

 

“Good,” Finn purrs.  He lets Poe go, walks to his desk, and sits down.  “Now, as I was saying.  We’re well aware that you are working with the Rebels and that you know the location of their secret base.  There is no need to deny it.  Things will go much easier for you if you simply share that information with me now.”  Finn then pauses, licking his lips.  “I might even make it worth your while.”

 

_Dammit Finn, where did you learn how to do this_ , Poe thinks.  He suddenly wishes he knew the location of the Rebel base so he could take Finn up on his offer.  His thoughts then clear as he realizes, _duh, Yavin IV.  Kind of grew up there_.  Poe takes a long, deep breath.  “Look, sir, sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t know the location.”  Poe’s trying for defiant, but Finn has to know how turned on he is.

 

Finn shakes his head.  “That’s too bad,” he says, rising.  He walks over, crouching in front of Poe’s chair.  He places his hands on Poe’s knees and begins sliding them up slowly.  “As I said, I could make it worth your while.”

 

Poe’s mouth turns to cotton.  He tries to swallow but gets sidetracked by the feeling of Finn’s hands moving slowly up his legs.  Finn’s eyes are the eyes of a predator.  Finn licks his lips and leans in.  “Are you sure you don’t know?”

 

Poe manages to swallow.  “Sure?” he repeats.  “Ummmm, I…”

 

Finn smiles.  “Perhaps if I added an incentive that would help jog your memory?”

 

Finn rises and pulls at Poe’s manacled hands, forcing him up.  Finn reaches above their heads to a hook chained to the ceiling.  Finn lifts Poe’s hands and hooks the manacles to the chain.  He kicks the chair away.  It isn’t quite uncomfortable—in fact, if Poe were to tiptoe, he could free himself from the hook—but it is enough to get Poe’s attention.  Poe marvels at how thorough Finn was in preparing this little scenario.

 

Finn begins to circle Poe slowly.  Finn’s eyes are appreciative and he has a slight smile on his face.  “Such a pretty Rebel,” he says.  He runs a hand down one of Poe’s arms.  “So tight and,” his hand moves down Poe’s side, “well muscled.”  It tickles and Poe tries to flinch away, but Finn holds him in place.  Then, Finn’s hand slips to Poe’s ass.  “It seems such a waste to torture you when there are other ways we could be spending our time.”  Finn squeezes.  Poe closes his eyes and his head leans back slightly.  “You like that, Rebel?”

 

Poe’s having a hard time remembering the plot to _The_ _Coruscant Conundrum_ but he’s pretty sure he’s supposed to resist just a bit longer.  “I…I don’t know what you’re talking about, Commander.”  He takes a deep breath. 

 

Finn removes his hand and circles, coming in closer until he is nose to nose with Poe.  “You don’t?”  His hand moves to the noticeable bulge at the front of Poe’s pants.  “Are you sure?  This would seem to indicate otherwise.”    
  
Poe can’t help himself.  He pushes into Finn’s touch just slightly.  Finn laughs and moves his hand away.  “Oh not yet, Rebel.  When you’ve told me the location, I’ll give you that and more.”  He circles back around Poe.  “The problem is, I think, that you are wearing entirely too many clothes.”  Poe trembles at this.

 

Finn goes down and pulls off Poe’s boots, tossing them across the room.  He then stands and grabs the front of Poe’s shirt at the collar.  “Were we attached to this?” he asks.

 

“No,” Poe breathes out.

 

“Good,” Finn says ripping it open.  Poe’s cock twitches.  Finn takes a knife from his boot and then walks behind Poe, cutting the shirt off him before re-sheathing the knife.  Poe can hear Finn give an appreciative hum behind him and it warms Poe’s entire body. 

 

Finn walks back around to face Poe; his eyes rake across Poe’s chest.  “Nice,” he says.  He places a gloved hand on one of Poe’s pecks and moves it slowly downward.  “Very nice.”  He looks Poe in the eye.  “Good to see the Rebels are keeping in shape.”

 

“We try,” Poe says.  _We try?  That’s all I’ve got?_  

 

As Finn’s gloved fingers start playing at the waist of Poe’s pants though, that thought is forgotten.  Finn steps in closer.  Their bodies are almost touching.  “Tell me where the Rebel base is and we can have so much fun.”  Finn’s voice is pure syrup. 

 

Poe desperately wants to tell Finn, and the words are almost out of his mouth before he remembers himself.  Poe closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.  “I. Don’t. Know.”  He looks into Finn’s eyes and adds, “Sir.”

 

Finn chuckles.  He stays in the same space but lets his hands move to Poe’s pants, unbuttoning them and then pushing them off.  His eyes stay trained on Poe’s.  “Are you sure?”  He presses the palm of his hand into Poe’s erection. 

 

Poe hisses at the contact.  “Yeah,” he manages to get out.  “I’m sure.”

 

Finn moves away and it’s like being plunged into a Hoth winter.  All Poe wants is the return of Finn’s touch. 

 

“Oh Rebel, that is too bad.”  Finn walks over to his desk and sits on it, surveying Poe.  He shakes his head.  He then lets his hands fall.  He begins rubbing his own erection through his uniform.  It is hypnotizing.  “So beautiful, and all of the things I could have done to you…” Finn sounds genuinely hurt.

 

Poe’s teeth are raking across his bottom lip.  He can’t look away.

 

Finn unbuttons his trousers and pulls out his cock.  He begins stroking it.  He looks up at Poe.  “All of the fun we could have had.”  Poe has trouble taking his eyes off of Finn’s hands as they work around his large cock, already dripping.    


Finn gets up and walks back to Poe, crowding him.  He leans in, pressing their bodies together.  Poe can feel how hard Finn is, how hard they both are.  Finn licks at Poe’s neck and then sucks a bruise there.  Poe’s eyes flutter shut and he lets out a truly filthy moan.  “Where’s the base?” Finn whispers, grabbing Poe’s hips and holding him in place.  “Tell me and I’ll give you everything you want.”  He rolls his hips into Poe.  There are tears in Poe’s eyes and he’s holding his breath, desperate for more.

 

At this point in the story, his character gives a false location and then is ravaged by the Imperial officer.  All Poe has to do is name a system, any system, but for some reason he can’t.  He shakes his head.  Finn begins licking up his throat and over to his ear.  As Finn’s teeth sink into Poe’s earlobe, Poe lets out a yelp and his whole body tenses.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn had known that getting into a dominant headspace wouldn’t be difficult and that teasing Poe would be similarly easy.  He had been worried about where Poe’s head would be during this interrogation—they’d talked about it a lot when they were discussing the possible safety issues of this fantasy when he was in the med bay healing after Echelon, and Poe had assured him he wanted this.  But talking is one thing and doing is another. 

 

Finn knows what is supposed to happen now if they are still following the script, but the fact that Poe hasn’t said anything makes him pause.   He makes the decision: _we’re going to move on_.

 

Poe is breathing heavily; Finn reaches up and takes the manacles of the hook.  “Color?” he whispers into Poe’s ear.

 

Poe shudders at the question.  _I was a million miles away there, wasn’t I?_   Poe calms and smiles.  “Green, baby.  I’m fine.”

 

“You sure?”

 

Poe leans in and licks a line up Finn’s cheek.  “Yes, sir,” he says. 

 

Finn locks his eyes on Poe’s.  _You sure?_

 

“Yes, Finn.  Green.”

 

“Good,” Finn says, suddenly back in character.  He pulls Poe over to the bed and pushes him onto it face down. “Hands above your head,” he says and Poe obliges, his manacled hands grabbing onto the headboard.  Finn pulls off Poe’s underwear.  “I need to reward my little Rebel for being so accommodating.”

 

Poe is acutely aware of the fact that Finn is still completely dressed.  He’s still wearing the boots and the gloves, even.  So as Finn slides down his body and pushes his legs apart, it is an entirely new sensation.  Something about the scratchy fabric running up and down his body, combined with the leather gloves, is sending Poe to a whole new place.  He pushes up into it.

 

Finn holds Poe’s hips down and settles himself between Poe’s legs. Poe tries to turn his head to see what Finn is doing.  “Head down,” comes Finn’s voice and Poe obliges.  Then, he feels Finn’s hot breath just above the small of his back.  Poe closes his eyes and tries not to whimper. 

 

Finn begins licking, moving further and further down until he is circling Poe’s rim.  Poe can’t help himself; he’s writhing now.

 

Finn moves his hands to hold Poe firmly in place as his tongue darts in.  “Ooooooooh,” Poe wails.  His legs are squirming.  He has to move.  Finn chuckles and redoubles his efforts, pushing in even further, twisting his tongue, bringing it in and out, until Poe’s voice gives out and he’s shaking.  This goes on for what feels like an eternity before Finn relents and sits up.

 

Finn rips off his gloves and grabs the lube he stashed next to the bed.  He lathers his fingers, quickly pressing one into Poe.  He lets go of Poe’s hips, and Poe immediately starts rutting up against him.  As Finn pushes in a second, and then a third, finger, Finn begins stroking his own cock.  He realizes he won’t last much longer—the sight of Poe this far gone is really turning him on.  He puts a hand on Poe’s hip to stop the movement and slowly pulls his fingers out.

 

“We still good?”

 

“Green, Finn.  All green.”

 

Finn lines up his cock and slips it in ever so slowly. 

 

Finn slides his body up Poe’s back, letting the uniform drag against Poe’s perfect skin.  He then starts thrusting his hips in an irregular rhythm.  His arms bracket Poe’s head and he peppers kisses across Poe’s neck and shoulders.  Poe lets out a long “mmmmmmm,” that Finn feels tingle throughout his body. 

 

Finn pushes himself up to find a new angle and as he does, Poe’s whole body stiffens and Poe lets out a low grunt.  Finn knows he has found Poe’s prostate; he rocks into it.  Poe’s breath hitches and he whispers “Finn” with each thrust. 

 

Just before he takes Poe over the edge, Finn stops completely.  Poe lets out a sob.

 

“Shhhhhh,” Finn whispers, lowering himself to rest his chest on Poe’s back.  Poe tries to push back into him—the feel of the uniform at once so wrong but providing a whole new world of friction. 

 

“Patience,” Finn says softly.  He begins licking at the sweat beading on Poe’s neck.  After a minute or so, he starts rocking slowly, rolling his hips just so. 

 

Poe pulls against his restraints.  “Want to touch you,” he breathes out.  “Please.”

 

It’s bad enough he can’t really see Finn.  The way Finn’s muscles clench as he thrusts, the arch of his back, the way his ass looks as he rolls those hips.  But to not be able to touch him?  Poe whines—this is true torture.  His hands struggle against the manacles.  “Please.”

 

Finn’s mouth is at Poe’s ear.  “Had enough of _The Coruscant Conundrum_?”  He licks at Poe’s ear. 

 

Poe closes his eyes and breathes out, “I just want to get my hands on you.”

 

Finn bites Poe’s earlobe, eliciting a long “oh” as he reaches up to undo the manacles.  As they fall off, Poe’s hands immediately rush back, grabbing Finn’s thighs and holding on to him as if his life depends on it. 

 

Finn moves his arms outside of Poe’s and begins thrusting harder, faster.  Poe is rutting into the bedding now—the friction of the uniform on his back and the sheets below him making him quiver.  Finn leans in and bites Poe’s shoulder, and Poe feels himself tumbling towards the edge.  Finn knows he’s close too.  “Poe, I…” 

 

Poe’s hands grab him even harder.  “Come for me, baby.”

 

And like that, Finn goes stiff, coming inside Poe, yelling.  Poe’s fingers dig into Finn’s thighs and he feels himself let go, falling over the edge.  He closes his eyes and stops breathing as he comes, the only thing tethering him to the world is the weight of Finn on his back.

 

**# # # #**

 

For several minutes, they don’t move.  Both are laboring just to breathe.  Finally, Finn rolls off of Poe.  “I think this uniform is ruined,” he says in between long breaths.

 

“I’m sure we can clean it.”

 

“Do you want to explain these stains to anyone in the laundry?”

 

Poe chuckles.  “Good point.”  Poe stretches his arms and rubs his wrists. 

 

“You okay,” Finn asks.

 

“Baby, I’m great,” Poe says leaning over to kiss Finn.  “I can’t believe you remembered this after…Kriff, how long has it been?”

 

“Two months,” Finn says, suddenly aware of all of the near misses and prolonged missions the two of them have been on in recent memory.  Two months when they kept passing by each other; two months when one or the other might not have come back.  _Two months is a lifetime during war_ , Finn thinks.

 

Poe can see Finn heading down a dark mental path.  “Baby,” he says, grabbing at Finn and wrapping him in his arms.  “We’re here now; we’re safe.  We’re good.”  He kisses Finn’s forehead.  “We’ve made it this far, and I don’t have any plans for us to stop.”  He leans his forehead into Finn’s.

 

Finn takes in a deep breath and nods.  “Missed you.”

 

“You have no idea,” Poe says, squeezing just a bit harder.  That’s when it hits him.  These past two months, the next two—the war stretches out behind him and in front of him and he wonders how many more times he’ll get to hold Finn like this, touch him, tell him how much he loves him.  He starts to shake.

 

Finn presses his forehead more forcefully into Poe’s and whispers, “We made it this far, baby.  I’m not going anywhere.  Come on, Poe, breathe with me.  Innnnn and outtttt.  Innnnn and outttt.”  Finn keeps repeating it until he feels Poe’s breathing slow. 

 

Poe swallows and tries to find comfort in Finn’s words, his touch.  Poe shifts his weight.  As he does, the rub of Finn’s uniform against his skin makes him realize something.  “I’m naked.”

 

Finn chuckles.  “Yeah, it’s a good look on you.”

 

Poe sits up.  “Finn!  Seriously, how am I supposed to get back to our quarters?  If Jess sees me like this, I’m never going to hear—”

 

Finn rolls to the edge of the bed and reaches under it, handing Poe a pack filled with extra clothes for both of them.  “I wasn’t going to walk across the base dressed like a kriffing First Order officer.”

 

Poe looks from the pack to his boyfriend.  “You really did think of everything, didn’t you?”

 

“I really did,” Finn says, taking off his belt and loosening his uniform.  “These things are the worst.”

 

Poe is still looking at Finn as if he hung every moon and star in the sky.  Finn leans in and kisses Poe.  “There’s also a jar of jogan fruit jam back in our room if we feel like getting messy later,” Finn says smiling.

 

Poe laughs.  “Anything else you have planned for our three-day adventure?”

 

Finn nuzzles Poe’s neck, just enjoying the smell of him.  “Honestly, I was hoping maybe dinner, cuddling, and a holo, if it doesn’t sound too boring to you.”

 

Poe leans into Finn, closes his eyes and wallows in the warmth of his boyfriend, the solid body that is really there next to him, that is completely _his_ for another day and a half.  “That sounds perfect, baby.”

 

Both Poe and Finn are good at pretending.  Poe the spy.  Finn as Commander Rinde.  Poe playing the sexy Rebel that Imperial officer Finn seduces. 

 

_But_ , Finn supposes, as they remain wrapped up in each other—neither of them in a rush to move— _this is the one thing you can’t fake_.  He wishes he could put it into words—how solid Poe makes him feel; how right this is. 

 

Instead, he wraps his hands a bit tighter around Poe and kisses his temple.  “Perfect,” Finn says.  _Just perfect._

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Week: Battle Wounds


	6. Battle Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A crash landing.
> 
> Two men stuck in an abandoned base facing the realities of war.
> 
> Or the time they don’t re-enact a romance novel…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started writing this chapter, it just took on a life of its own. So there is a novel, but not a romance novel, and the tone of things shifts a bit for a while. 
> 
> Or, time for an angsty chapter...
> 
>  
> 
> tw: anxiety attacks

 

 

* * *

 

“When we sign up, what we don’t realize is that it’s never going to end.  Either we’re going to get swallowed up and die in battle or we’ll make it through to the other side, alive but haunted by those no longer with us: by those we fought, by those we served, by those we loved.”

                                                                        ~Gerna Hexx, _Battle Wounds_

* * *

 

**_Battle Wounds_ , page 43:**

Ari stared out the window onto the grassy landscape.  He had hoped that the beauty of it would help him forget, that he would somehow be able to erase all of his past evils if he allowed himself to stop and ponder the magnificence of nature.

 

Ezra came in.  “We’ll need to go soon,” he said, walking to the window.  He stood beside Ari and looked out.

 

“What do you see,” Ari asked.

 

Ezra fought the urge to shrug and instead concentrated on the view, hoping to give Ari whatever it was he was looking for.  “It’s peaceful.  Just grass and hills and clouds and sky.”  He couldn’t help the chuckle.  “I think it’s the kind of thing we’re supposed to want to look at or we’re supposed to look at to relax.  I’ve never been sure.”  He turned to Ari.  “I grew up in a city.  I never saw places like this till I joined the Rebellion, and these days, when I see them, they’re usually on fire.”  He turned back to the window.  “So I guess it’s nice it’s not on fire.”

 

Ari laughed.  Eventually, he said, “I was hoping that if I came up here and stared at it, I might see what other people see, but the truth of the matter is, I’m like you.  I don’t get the attraction.  It’s grass, for kriff’s sake.”

 

Ezra moved closer and took Ari’s hand.  “You’re nervous.”

 

Ari had to fight his initial instinct which was to snap back, _Of course, I’m nervous_.  He took a breath.  “Yes,” he said.  “I don’t expect a very warm welcome.”

 

“We’ve had Imperial deserters before.”

 

“I know.  I’m still nervous.”

 

Ezra lifted Ari’s hand to his mouth and lightly kissed his knuckles.  “Faith, Ari.  Sometimes you have to have a little bit of faith that everything will work out.”  He breathed out.  “Trust me.”

 

Ari squeezed Ezra’s hand.  “I want to, Ezra.”

 

“Then just do it.  I got us off that Star Destroyer.  I’ll get you into the Rebellion,” Ezra said.  Then he laughed.

 

“What?”

 

“Well, I also got you into my bed…”

 

“And here I was thinking that I got you into mine.” Ari smiled as he leaned over and pressed his lips to Ezra’s…

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn turned off the datapad and leaned back onto their bed.  Poe was on day two of what was supposed to be a three-day mission.  Finn said a silent prayer that it did indeed remain a three-day mission.  He let the datapad rest on his chest.

 

He’d been flicking through the folder of Poe’s romance novels.  For some reason, when Poe was away and he was stuck on base, they calmed him down—let him get lost in an optimistic cheesiness that in some ways was a very good substitute for Poe’s own special brand of optimistic cheesiness. 

 

Almost all of Poe’s reading tended towards the light and breezy.  Sure, he had a few really good romance novels, like _The Knight’s Dilemma_ , but most of them were seriously trashy.  The sex scenes were good, but there wasn’t much else there.  Sometimes, though, that was exactly what Finn needed.

 

Beyond the romance, all Finn had ever really found on Poe’s datapad were flight manuals and dry histories.  They didn’t distract him the way the romance novels did.

 

But yesterday, hidden deep in the datapad amongst the romance novels, he’d found this.  _Battle Wounds_.  It wasn’t a romance novel or a history.  In fact, it was the kind of fiction that Finn would’ve assumed Poe avoided like the plague: realistic, introspective, and if not pessimistic, then at least resigned to the realities of war.  Finn was enjoying it, but he kept wondering why Poe had it ferreted away with the romance novels.

 

Of course, when he’d first opened it, Finn assumed it was one of Poe’s standard _we-hate-each-other-oh-wait-the-sex-is-amazing-so-we-really-love-each-other_ kind of romps.  It was set before the battle of Endor.  A Rebel agent, Ezra, infiltrated the Empire and seduced an Imperial officer, Ari.  They fell in love and escaped. 

 

But all of that took place before the end of the first chapter.  The bulk of the book, as Finn soon discovered, picked up six months later.  The two of them tried to leave the war behind, but Ezra couldn’t help feeling he was letting his friends and family down.  He decided to go back to the Rebellion, and Ari decided to go with him.

 

Finn shook his head. It felt like this was written by someone who understood what it was like to live under the constant threat of battle.  The pull of duty.  The fears.  The desire to run away and never look back.  

 

And Ezra and Ari were real people with tempers and shortcomings and yet, they were lovely, and Finn found himself caring about them, both of them, and their relationship.  Mainly because they loved each other in a way that transcended sex. 

 

Finn spent the next several hours reading the book.

 

Over the course of it, Ezra and Ari made it back to the Rebellion base where Ari was eventually accepted, and somehow they managed to carve out a functioning relationship in the middle of the war.  But then, in the next to last chapter, Ezra died, and Ari was left alone at the end of the war, wondering just what to do. 

 

Finn teared up just thinking about it.  All of it hit a bit too close to home.

 

Which was why it surprised him that it was in Poe’s library.  Poe could get maudlin and moody after a mission just like anyone else, but for the most part, Poe tried hard to stay positive, to hope for the best.  And his taste (or lack thereof) in romance novels played that out: they were all about happy endings and making the impossible happen.  The prince is able to marry the pirate; the Republic officer redeems the thief; the man on the run clears his name and melts the moisture farmer’s heart. 

 

Finn bit his cheek.  _Why do you have this book, Poe?_

 

 

* * *

Ezra slammed his hand into the console.  “Dammit, Ari, we all have blood on our hands.  No one is innocent here.  And…” he held his hand up so Ari wouldn’t interrupt, “we’re all going to be tormented by that.  You aren’t special.  We’ve all killed people.  But what gets us through it, what makes it better—it isn’t that we’re fighting for the right side, even though I believe we are—it’s this,” he said, motioning between them.  “It’s having someone to come home to, someone to fight for.  You’re the only reason I’m still in one piece, Ari.”

 

Ari closed his eyes and leaned into Ezra.  He wanted to say something just as eloquent, but in the end, he settled on the biggest truth of his being: “I love you.”

 

~Gerna Hexx, _Battle Wounds_

* * *

 

 

It was a simple recon mission.  Poe was supposed to fly in; Finn was supposed to scout the location—about twenty klicks away from an abandoned Imperial base—and then they were supposed to leave.  It started out well enough: Finn was quick and efficient, and it wasn’t long until they were back in the air.

 

But as soon as they were, things went sideways.

 

A random First Order patrol had spotted them and suddenly Poe was trying to evade six TIEs in a modified cruiser that the Resistance had just inherited from an old friend of the General’s.  Poe let loose a litany of variations on _fuck_ and _kriff_ as the ship swung violently from side to side.

 

Finn grabbed the shielding controls and the blasters, suddenly missing the sleek design of the TIE they’d escaped the Finalizer in. 

 

A shot rocked the cruiser.  “Finn, I need those shield up,” Poe said, trying—and failing—to sound calm.

 

“Working on it, Poe.  How old is this thing?”

 

“Older than both of us,” Poe said, jabbing at buttons as they suddenly went straight up into the air.  “We’re not gonna be able to outrun them.  Gonna have to shoot them down.”

 

“Fuck, Poe,” Finn said, his eyes on the tracking system.

 

“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll get you into position…now!”

 

They’d pulled up behind one of them.  Finn fired and watched the TIE explode.  He whooped just as another shot rocked the cruiser.

 

“Finn!”

 

“On it!”

 

“Gonna…”  The ship suddenly dove and crested to the right.  “Fuck.  Gonna get you in position for another one…Be ready…Here it comes…Now,” Poe screamed.

 

Finn shot and clipped the TIE’s wing.  It spun out into the jungle below.

 

“Good enough,” Poe said. 

 

Finn was busy keeping an eye on the shields and the guns, but a part of him was aware of Poe’s laser focus—and that had him a bit scared.  Poe was usually loose in a fight, cracking jokes, seemingly disinterested.  It was when he got serious that Finn knew to panic.  _He doesn’t think we’re gonna make it out of this._

 

Another shot shook the cruiser.  “Much more of that, Finn…”

 

“I know.  I know!”

 

Poe jerked the controls and they were suddenly diving towards the jungle canopy.  “Kriffing hell!”  Shots were coming all around them.  “Finn!”

 

The whole cruiser shook.  Poe jerked up the nose of the craft and they started rising.  “There’ll be one in your sights…Now!”

 

Finn fired and watched the TIE explode, its shrapnel taking out another TIE.

 

An alarm was blaring.  “Two left,” Poe said, punching buttons.  “Shut up!” Poe screamed at the console.  “I know!”

 

They banked left, and dove back down, clipping the tops of the trees in the jungle below.  The cruiser was shaking now and Finn was starting to wonder how much longer they were going to remain airborne. 

 

“On our six.  You see it?”

 

 “Yeah.”

 

“Gonna be in your sights in three…two…one…”

 

Finn shot and heard the TIE explode.  He let out a long breath.  Only one more left.  _Please say they didn’t have time to call up reinforcements._

 

Another alarm started sounding.  “Finn, strap yourself in.”  Poe started fastening his harness.  A shot rocked the ship.  “FUCK!”

 

Poe’s grip was so tight on the controls that his hands had gone white.  Finn could feel the panic rising in his system.  _Poe never gets scared.  He’s the best damn pilot in the whole_ —

 

The ship started listing to the left.  Poe yelled, “He’s gonna be in your sights…now!”

 

Finn fired and nearly started crying as the TIE fell into the jungle below, exploding as it hit the ground.  _We did it!  We kriffing did it._

 

Finn turned to see Poe, still grasping the controls way too hard.  The ship was shaking violently now.

 

“Poe?”

 

Poe realized there was no way to avoid the crash.  His mind raced as he tried to figure out the best way to do it to ensure that Finn made it out of this alive.  “I love you,” he screamed.

 

“Love you to—”

 

The world went black.

 

**# # # #**

 

Finn woke up coughing.  His shoulders hurt where the harness was digging into them.  He opened his eyes to find himself caught—the harness was holding him to the seat which was now facing the ground.  Once he hit the release, he was going to fall into what was left of the console.  It was smoking and the smell told him that the wiring and metal were melting.  _Need to get out of here.  Need to find Poe and get out of here._

He looked to his left.  That part of the transport—the part where Poe had been—was gone.  Finn was filled with a terror he hadn’t felt since waking up alone on Jakku.

 

“Poe,” he screamed.  “Poe!  Poe, answer me, you son of a bitch!”  He grabbed the release and let first one and then the other side of the harness go, holding onto the seat and then slowly letting himself dangle down.  It was still a bit of a fall, but he didn’t have a choice.  _I have to find Poe_.

 

He landed on the mess of metal with a loud thwack.  He quickly scrambled out of what was left of the ship, and as soon as he made it to solid ground, he began trying to triangulate where the rest of the ship had to be.  From the looks of it, it had been shorn in two.  Finn didn’t want to think about what had cut through the metal like that, what it would’ve done to a body.  He forced his brain not to go there.  “Poe,” he yelled again, his voice already hoarse.  “Poe!” The desperation in his voice was scaring him.

 

He finally spotted a small plume of smoke and he began running towards it, faintly aware that one of his ankles was not okay and that there were probably other bruises and scratches that would need to be dealt with.  _Later_ , he thought to himself _.  Just let me find Poe, and then, body, you can hurt all you want._   He then added, _But please not too much._

 

If it was possible, this side of the ship was even worse than the one Finn had just left.  He tried to convince himself that the tears in his eyes were from the smoke and not from the rising dread in his system.  “Poe,” he croaked out.  “Dammit, Poe, answer me!”

 

A faint sound caught his attention.  Finn turned to his right and began scrambling through the jungle.  “Poe!”

 

Someone coughed and then he heard the sweetest sound ever.  “Finn,” came Poe’s scratchy voice.  “Finn, oh maker, please tell me that’s you.”

 

Finn burst through the canopy to find Poe, still strapped to his seat, which was dangling about three feet off the ground.  Finn closed his eyes and said a silent prayer of thanks to the maker or the Force or whatever it was that seemed to keep Poe Dameron perpetually safe.  He ran to Poe. 

 

Poe’s entire countenance changed as soon as it was clear that Finn was really in front of him.  He was freely crying.  “I’ve never been that scared in all my life, Finn.  Where the kriff were you?”

 

Finn took out his knife and began cutting Poe loose from the harness.  “The rest of the ship is about a klick that way,” Finn said motioning with his head.  “Looks like the ship got cut clean in two.”

 

“Yeah,” Poe breathed out.  “Looks like it.”  Finn cut the second harness strap and helped Poe fall out.  Poe immediately wrapped his arms around Finn, pushing his head into Finn’s neck.  “I…I…”  He squeezed tighter.  Finn closed his eyes and let one hand travel up to Poe’s hair, just to touch him, make sure he was really there, that they had really survived this.

 

Finn then opened his eyes and took in the wreckage. 

 

He stepped back and began laughing.

 

Poe wasn’t sure what to make of it.  “Finn?”

 

Finn was trying to catch his breath.  “Are you hurt?” he managed.

 

Poe did a quick inventory.  “Not too bad.  Why?”

 

Finn held out his arms.  “Me either.”  He started laughing again.  “Look at this, Poe.  How is that possible?  What the fuck?”  The laughter was verging on tears.  “How are we alive?”

 

Poe came up behind Finn and wrapped his arms around him.  “Breathe with me, baby.”

 

“Poe, how are we alive?”

 

“Breathe, Finn.  I need you to close your eyes and breathe.”

 

“Poe, how…”  Finn was hyperventilating. 

 

Poe held him, breathing slowly, repeating the mantra.  “Innnnnn and Ouuuuuut.  Innnnnn and Ouuuuuut.”  _Don’t think about it, Dameron.  Don’t look at the wreckage.  Just focus on Finn.  Got to calm him down_.

 

About ten minutes later, Poe let Finn go and sank to the ground, exhausted.  Finn was still breathing a bit heavily, but he was better.  He licked his lips and said, “We’re going to need to find some shelter for the night and a way to contact base.”

 

Poe nodded to their left.  “If we…” _don’t say crashed_ , “landed where I think we landed, then the old Imperial base is that way.  If we start walking now, we should make it before nightfall.”

 

Finn nodded and offered Poe a hand up.  They began walking towards the abandoned base in silence.

 

 

* * *

 

“To be completely vulnerable to someone else, that is love.  It is to place your trust in them, to show them your truest face and believe that they will not run away, that they will see it and find something of worth there, even when you may not.”

 

                                                                        ~Gerna Hexx, _Battle Wounds_ **  
**

* * *

 

 

The building was dark and damp.  And blessedly empty.  Wherever that TIE patrol had come from, their friends weren’t here…yet.

 

Finn quickly found some old lanterns and started lighting the space.  Poe found an old comm unit.  “Say a prayer that the generators work,” he said, flipping the switch.  When it hummed to life, he closed his eyes and sighed, _Thank you_.  He plugged it into the Resistance’s emergency frequency and sent out a distress call.  “Here’s hoping they get it.”  _Before anyone else shows up._

 

“They will,” Finn said.  He left, returning a few minutes later with some bedding and an old first aid kit.  “Figured we’d want to bunk near the comm unit.”

 

“Good idea,” Poe said.

 

Finn seemed to have gotten over his earlier panic, but for some reason that just made Poe more anxious.  He felt like he was going to crawl out of his skin if he didn’t find something to do.  He fiddled with the comm unit, and when it was clear that an answer wasn’t forthcoming, he pushed himself away and began pacing the room.

 

Finn had just settled their bedding when he looked up and noticed Poe.  “Anything I can do to help?”

 

“Actually,” Poe said.  He practically pounced on Finn. 

 

“Ooooph,” Finn said, pushing back just slightly.  “You sure,” he managed as Poe sucked a bruise on his neck.

 

“Very sure,” Poe said, nuzzling.  “Need this.  Need to feel alive.  Need to feel your body.”  He was already pawing at Finn’s clothes.

 

“Okay,” Finn laughed.  Not that he minded sex with Poe, but there was a desperation to this that was a bit unsettling.  To calm his own nerves, he found the back of Poe’s head and pulled him into a long kiss.

 

Poe broke the kiss and began yanking at his shirt.  He took absolutely no care in tossing his clothes away.  Finn tried to at least get his clothes into a singular pile, but Poe was already grabbing at him, so needy.  Finn finally just tugged off his shirt and threw it, hoping he’d find it later.  “Okay, okay, okay, Poe, I’m here.”  Poe pulled him down onto the bedding, locking their lips together.

 

Finn went to move, but suddenly, Poe held him in place.

 

“Poe?  You okay, buddy?”

 

Poe nodded, panting, his grip just fractionally tighter.  He then seemed to come back into himself and released Finn. 

 

“Are you sure—”

 

“I’m sure.”  Poe’s pupils were blown.  “I need you in me.”

 

“Lube?”

 

Poe scrambled for his discarded pants and produced a small tube.  Finn smiled—it was one of Poe’s most adorable habits: always being prepared for sex.  But as Poe crawled back to Finn, Finn couldn’t dismiss the look on Poe’s face.   _He’s so freaked out._

 

Poe laid back on the bedding, handing the lube to Finn.  He looked up at Finn, and Finn wanted to cry.  It was easy to forget how exposed Poe could be—how truly naked, in every sense of the term, he allowed himself to be—around Finn.  Finn leaned down and placed a sweet kiss on Poe’s mouth.  “I love you, baby.”  _Please calm the fuck down_.

 

Poe leaned his forehead into Finn’s, grabbing the back of Finn’s neck.  He closed his eyes, trying to impress the sensation onto his mind, willing himself never to forget this.  There were tears welling up in his eyes.  “I…Finn, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

 

Finn pulled Poe up so he was sitting.  He wrapped his arms around the pilot and Poe did the same, squeezing hard.  “Poe?”

 

Poe was still a bit breathless.  “I don’t know.  I just…  Fuck, Finn.  How much longer can we keep doing this before our luck runs out?”

 

Finn sighed.  Poe coming off the adrenaline of a mission was always a bit of a gamble; he was either restless and prone to get into trouble or he went to a dark place.  Finn had to be careful he didn’t join him.  Especially after a mission that had gone so wrong.  “Poe,” he said, grabbing both sides of his face.  “We will make it out of this war alive.”

 

“How do you kn—”

 

“No.  Listen to me.  I did not break twenty-three years of conditioning, crash a TIE fighter, and face off against a psychotic madman with a lightsaber for nothing.  I have to believe we’re going to make it through this.  That’s the only way this works.  You, me, and Rey at the end of this war having a drink in a shitty cantina, missing the good old days.  I will not accept anything less.”

 

Poe closed his eyes.  “How are you so kriffing amazing,” he whispered.  He grabbed Finn’s head and pressed a kiss to his lips.

 

Finn let out a long breath.  He tilted his head up to kiss Poe’s forehead and then pulled Poe even closer.  “I love you, Poe.”

 

“I love you, too, Finn.”

 

They stayed locked in each other’s arms for several minutes before Poe leaned back.  “So, the mood is definitely ruined, right?”

 

Finn broke into a small smile.  “I think maybe…yeah.”

 

Poe shook his head, pushing away from Finn.  “Sorry.”

 

“Poe.”  Poe was already rising and searching for his clothes.  “Poe.”  Poe stopped and looked at him.  “Poe, come here.”  Poe reluctantly moved until he was standing in front of Finn.  Finn took his hand and tugged.  Poe sat back down and Finn maneuvered him until his back was against Finn’s chest.  “Dameron, never apologize to me about not having sex.  I love you.  If we never had sex again, I’d still love you.”  He wrapped his arms around Poe.

 

“Finn, it’s just…”

 

“I know, baby.”  Finn squeezed tighter.

 

“No, you don’t,” Poe said. 

 

Finn shifted so he could look into Poe’s eyes.  _You gonna tell me?_

 

Poe let out a long breath.  “Me nearly dying,” he let out a mirthless laugh, “Stars, I’m used to that.  But you?”  He grabbed at Finn’s arms, wrapping them tighter around himself.  “I nearly got you killed, Finn.  I wouldn’t be able to…”  He took in a sharp breath.  “I almost got you killed,” he whispered.  He started shaking.

 

Finn closed his eyes and nuzzled into Poe’s neck.  “Baby, I’m right here.  I’m alive.  You’re the reason for that.  No other pilot in the Resistance—hell, no other pilot in the kriffing galaxy—gets us out of that alive.  You didn’t almost kill me, Poe.  You saved my life.”  He squeezed Poe, resting his forehead on Poe’s shoulder.  “You saved me,” he said quietly.

 

 

* * *

“There are those moments when time ceases to have meaning—it could be a few seconds and it could be years; it doesn’t matter.  The weight of the thing, that’s what matters, that’s what you take with you.  Sitting on the cold, metal floor, wrapped up in each other, swaying ever so slightly and finding comfort in the feel of skin against skin—that was all that mattered.  It was what they would pick up and take with them, what they would carry in them during the next near miss (because there would always be another near miss).  It was what would make the war bearable.  It was what would keep them sane.”

                 

                                                                        ~Gerna Hexx, _Battle Wounds_

* * *

 

 

The comm was scratchy but it was definitely Bastian’s voice, “Come in.  Poe?  Finn?  Can either of you read me?  We’ve got a signal but it’s pretty weak and I’m not—”

 

“Bastian, it’s us.  We’re in an old Imperial bunker.”

 

“Thank the maker, Finn!  It is so good to hear your voice.  Is the Commander there?”

 

“Right here, baby bird.”

 

“I’m begging you, Poe, please stop calling me that.”  He could hear the smile in Bastian’s voice.  “We’ll be there in about an hour.  You guys need anything?”

 

“No.  We’re good,” Poe said.  “Over and out.”

 

Poe took a deep breath and started pulling his boots on.  “Do we need to talk about…”

 

“I don’t know,” Finn said.  Then, he stopped.  “Actually, yeah, we do.”  He walked over to where Poe was sitting and sat down next to him.  When Poe finished with his boots, Finn took his hand.  “Look, I know it’s war and at any time you might not come back or I might not come back or hell, neither of us might come back…”

 

“If you’re trying to cheer me up, Finn—”

 

“No, let me get this out.”  Finn took a deep breath.  “Poe, nothing is certain.  You take a slightly different shot on Jakku and I’m the one dead, not Slip.”  Poe made to speak but Finn kept going.  “You stay with the Republic instead of joining up with the General, and you die when the Order blows up the Hosnian system.  Any number of things and this all turns out differently.  But the point of the matter is, we’re here—you and me—and for as long as we get to have this, I’m gonna…” Finn closed his mouth, suddenly fumbling.  “And well, the one thing that I’ve never doubted is…well, it’s you.”

 

“Oh, Finn.”

 

“No, let me finish.” 

 

“There’s more?”

 

Finn’s whole face lit up.  “Yeah, Dameron, there’s more.”  He squeezed Poe’s hand.  “I’ve been thinking about us, about all this and I…”  His voice started to falter.  “Poe what I’m saying is,” he looked up at his boyfriend, “will you marry me?”

 

Poe’s whole body jerked as he let out a crazy sounding laugh.  “What?”

 

“I asked if you’d marry me.”

 

“ _That_ ’s what you got from today?”  Poe felt like he was coming unhinged.  He stood up and began pacing.

 

“Actually, Dameron, I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but today just sort of solidified things for me.”

 

Poe couldn’t stop laughing.  _Guess it’s my turn to get hysterical._   “We almost die and…”  Poe was shaking his head. 

 

Finn was starting to get pissed.  He stood up.  “Unless you don’t want to marry me,” he said—and there wasn’t a hint of fear in his voice; it was pure anger, because he knew how Poe felt about him.

 

Poe sobered almost immediately.  “We almost died, Finn.”

 

“Yeah, Poe, I was there.”

 

“What if…”

 

“Dammit, Poe, no,” Finn roared.  “We are not going to play that game for the rest of our lives!” 

 

Finn closed his eyes and forced himself to take a calming breath.  He opened them and leveled his most serious _don’t-fuck-with-me-Dameron_ stare at the man he was currently having a hard time believing he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  “I’m going to lay it all out for you in the simplest terms possible,” he said.  “I’m in love with you—have been for as long as I care to remember—and I love living with you and being with you, and honestly, that could be enough.  But here’s the deal.  _And I want you to really listen to me, Poe_.”  He took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on Poe’s.  “I want to have a ceremony and I want to invite our friends and your father, and I want to wear a ring and do all of that stupid stuff if for no other reason than _this could all be over tomorrow_.  I want to stand in the face of the future and tell it that I have faith in you, in us, and that I’m betting on that.”  Finn grabbed Poe.  “I’m not going to give into my fears and all of the what-ifs that are a part of our lives, Poe.  I want to show everyone that I have something to believe in and that something is _us_.  Understand?”  His voice got low.  “So I’ll ask you once again: Poe, will you marry me?”

 

Poe was crying.  _In a million years, I will never be half that eloquent or half that smart._

 

“Fuck yes, I’ll marry you.”  Poe kissed Finn, a smile on his lips.

 

Finn pushed back.  “You sure, Dameron?”

 

“Yeah, Finn, I’m sure.”  Poe laughed—this time a real, honest Dameron laugh.  “In fact, when we get back to base, I’ll give you the ring I’ve been carrying around for the last two cycles.”

 

Finn closed his eyes and shook his head.  “Seriously, Dameron.  What am I gonna do with you?” 

 

He kissed his fiancée.

**# # # #**

 

At some point, the kiss turned decidedly less sweet.  As Poe started licking down Finn’s neck, he realized they were both wearing too many clothes.

 

Poe began dragging Finn’s shirt off, flinging it away. 

 

“Ummm?”  Finn watched his shirt go sailing, fighting the urge to run after it and at least put it somewhere clean.  Poe was working on his boots now, and as Finn looked down, he saw that desperate look in Poe’s eyes return.

 

“You sure?” Finn breathed.  _Baby, we’re okay._

 

“Yeah.  Wanna celebrate.  Need to celebrate,” Poe said, tugging on Finn’s pants.  Finn helped him get the rest of their clothes off.  Then, his hands found the back of Poe’s head, pulling him forward into a deep kiss.  Finn began sinking to the ground and Poe followed, not wanting to lose contact.

 

Finn pushed Poe back onto the bedding.  “Lay down,” he said softly.  Finn knew he needed to take this slowly, be careful with Poe. 

 

Finn dotted kisses around Poe’s chest down to his legs and back up to his thighs.  Poe hummed as he did it, his fingers brushing against the top of Finn’s head.

 

Finn wrapped his hands around Poe’s cock and began stroking it lightly, feathering kisses at the top.

 

“Ummmmmm,” Poe said. 

 

“Good,” Finn asked.

 

“Ummmmmmmm.”

 

_I’ll take that as a yes._

 

Finn swirled his tongue around the head, loving the way Poe tasted and the heat rising up off of him.  He moved his hands to either side of Poe’s hips and began slowly moving up and down Poe’s cock.

 

Poe’s hands settled on Finn’s arms, lightly grasping his biceps—more as an anchor for Poe than anything else.

 

Finn looked up.  Poe’s neck was craned; he was watching Finn, his mouth hanging open.  As Finn twisted his tongue around the head, both of Poe’s eyebrows raised and his mouth opened slightly, but otherwise, Poe was still, enraptured. 

 

It was lovely. 

 

And for a moment, Finn got lost in it.

 

But then Finn refocused on Poe’s cock, going all the way down and quickly back up.  As he started to quicken his pace, he could feel Poe shifting his hips—just barely thrusting up into him.  He smiled.  _Delicate_ wasn’t a word he often used to describe Poe, but in the moment, it fit.

 

Finn closed his eyes, letting it overwhelm his senses.  The feel of Poe, the taste of him, that deep musky scent that was all Poe.  _This is mine.  All mine._

 

Poe was making these small breathy noises and his thrusts were becoming more pronounced.  His fingers dug into Finn’s arms.  “Finnnnnnnn,” he begged.  _Don’t ever leave me._

 

Poe let out a small gasp, and that was all the warning Finn got.  Suddenly, Poe was coming as his hips jerked up once, twice, three times.

 

For a moment, everything was silent and still and the near-constant commentary going on in both their heads stopped.  Then, it was as if the world started spinning again.  It was a rush of fears mixed in with the sounds of Poe’s panting and the feeling of the tears leaking from Finn’s eyes.

 

Finn pulled off of Poe’s cock with a loud pop and wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.  Poe was exquisite—his eyes shut, his curls plastered to his sweaty forehead, his breathing uneven.  _All mine_ , Finn thought.

 

He smiled, slicking up his finger and pressing it to Poe’s rim.

 

Poe let out a whine as Finn pressed it in. “Shhhh,” Finn said.  “We’re not finished yet.”

 

Finn worked the finger in and out, twisting it slightly.  He let his other hand skim over Poe’s stomach and chest, savoring the heat of Poe’s smooth skin.   _Mine forever_.  Finn worked in a second and then a third finger, scissoring them, watching as Poe writhed underneath him.  “You’re so beautiful, baby.” 

 

Poe’s eyes stayed shut, but he gave Finn a small smile and Finn felt it radiate through his body.  “All yours,” Poe managed.  He opened his eyes, meeting Finn’s and Finn felt himself stop. 

 

Finn smiled down at Poe.  “Always.”

 

As Finn pulled his fingers out, he lubed up his cock and pressed it ever so slowly into Poe, crawling forward as he did.  Today, he needed as much skin-to-skin contact as possible.  Finn moved quickly up Poe’s body, finding his lips and pressing into them as he began to thrust. 

 

As he broke the kiss, Finn rocked back and Poe chased him, making a small needy sound.  Poe’s hands were grabbing at Finn’s sides, pulling him back down.  “Need you, Finn.  Need to feel you.”  _He’s here.  He’s alive.  We made it_.  “Need…”

 

“Shhh, baby.  We’re safe.”  Finn’s hand cupped the top of Poe’s head, stroking his hair gently.   _Mine_.  Finn closed his eyes and let his cheek rest on Poe’s face for a moment, letting his world shrink down to the feeling of Poe beneath him and the sound of Poe’s breathing. 

 

Finn started thrusting just a bit faster.  Poe was trying hard not to cry.  _He’s here.  We’re safe._   Poe wrapped both of his arms around Finn’s neck, holding him close.  _Don’t ever leave me_.  “Don’t,” he panted out.  “Don’t go,” he pleaded.

 

“I’m here, baby,” Finn breathed out.  “Always here.”  Finn shifted so that his nose was next to Poe’s, their mouths not quite touching.  _Mine._ He could feel Poe’s breath across his face. _Mine forever._

 

Poe let out a long wail and began thrusting up to meet Finn.  _He’s safe._   He squeezed his eyes shut, groaning with each thrust.  Poe pressed his forehead into Finn’s.  _He’s alive_.  The tears were leaking from his eyes now.  _Please don’t leave me_.  The words wouldn’t come anymore, so he let forth a low sob and held Finn even closer.

 

 _You’re mine, Poe_ , Finn thought as he captured Poe’s mouth.  It was a messy, sloppy kiss, full of teeth and false starts and having to move, readjust, and try again.  Their hands were grabbing and roving, and neither one could seem to stay still as they tried to keep the kiss going—neither one wanting to be the one to break contact.

 

Eventually, though, Finn pulled back, gasping for air.  “Let me up, baby,” Finn whispered and Poe reluctantly released his grip on Finn, moving his hands to the floor, grasping at nothing, trying to find purchase.  _Don’t leave_.  He looked up at Finn, begging him to understand.

 

Finn sat up, one hand on Poe’s chest, the other on his thigh.  He looked down at his lover and felt the tears stinging his own cheeks.  He moved his hand to Poe’s face.  He nodded.  _We’re gonna make it, Poe._

 

Finn could feel it building now.  _You’re always gonna be mine._   He leaned his head back and every fear—every thought—left his head.  Two strong thrusts and he came with a growl, his fingers digging into Poe. 

 

Finn closed his eyes as his body went stiff.  Everything stopped for a moment, and there was only this—the sound of Poe’s breathing, the feeling of Poe, hot and tight, surrounding him, under him, in his hands.  Finn wanted to hold onto it, never let it go.  He stopped breathing so that nothing could interrupt this one pure moment. 

 

_Mine. Forever._

 

His body began shaking, and Finn drew in a long, ragged breath. 

 

After a moment, he opened his eyes and looked down at Poe.  Poe’s eyes were wide and watery—full of fear and questions.  Finn closed his eyes.  “It’s…,” he took in a long breath.  “It’s gonna be okay, baby.”

 

He found Poe’s hand and put it on Poe’s cock, helping Poe stroke it.  He stayed inside Poe, leaning forward until he found Poe’s lips again, kissing him over and over in time with Poe’s hand.     _We’re here.  We made it.  I’m never letting you go again_.

 

Poe was making nonsense noises, punctuated every so often by a quiet “Finn.”

 

Finn felt himself start to thrust again, the both of them moving in this quiet rhythm.  It was soft and slow, and skin slid against skin.  Their breathing started to match up, and Finn felt warm, lightheaded, as if he were somewhere else entirely.  He pressed his cheek to Poe’s.  “Come for me,” he whispered.  Poe’s whole body was moving now, his free hand holding Finn’s shoulders tight. 

 

Poe didn’t speak; his eyes stayed screwed shut—his entire being focused on this movement.  _Alive.  We’re alive_.  Poe kept repeating it over and over again in his head, and Finn could feel all of the terror of the past day—hell, of the past few years—in Poe’s grip on him.  Finn started weeping.

 

Poe yelled, “Urangh,” and he was spilling over his hand onto their chests.

 

_Alive._

 

Finn kept thrusting through Poe’s orgasm, focused on this feeling—of them together, caught out of time and away from the war.  He needed it to last forever.  _We’re gonna survive this_. 

 

But all too soon, he was there again, coming and shouting, lost as the world exploded into a million pieces of light.

 

_We have to survive this._

 

**# # # #**

 

“Poe? Finn?  You copy?  I said we’ve landed outside the base.  You there?”  Bastian’s voice echoed through the chamber.

 

“Shit,” Poe said.  “Fuck!”

 

Finn smiled.  “What is it?”

 

“Where’s my boot?”

 

Finn was hastily pulling up his pants.  As he jumped into them, he scanned the floor and then nodded to a space behind Poe.  “There.”

 

“Kriff,” Poe said spotting it.  “Thanks, babe.”

 

“Poe?  Finn?” came Bastian’s worried voice.

 

“Crap,” Poe said.  He mustered up his calmest voice.  “Copy that, Bastian.  We’re headed your way.  We’ll be there in a few minutes.”

 

“Looking forward to it,” Bastian said.

 

As Poe slipped his boot on, he quickly spun, trying to survey if he’d left any other clothes on the floor.  “When we get back to base…”

 

“When we get back to base, we decompress properly…and then we celebrate.  I will personally tell the General that the de-brief will have to wait.”  Poe lifted an amused eyebrow and Finn added, “Okay, I probably won’t say that, but…”

 

“I appreciate the sentiment, dear.”  Poe said wrapping a hand around his fiancée and pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.  “Now, let’s get the hell outta here.”

 

As they started down the hall, Poe tried to steady his breathing, but all at once, he was fighting back tears.  The last day had been a bit overwhelming, to say the least.  He looked over at Finn.  _I love him more than anything in the galaxy, but what if…_   He closed his eyes, willing the tears away. 

 

Finn took his hand and squeezed it, seeming to intuit his thoughts.  “In the end, I’d rather be married to you for one minute than never at all.  Besides,” he said, pressing Poe’s hand to his lips, “I think we’re going to turn out like one of your romance novels.”

 

“Yeah?” Poe said.

 

“I’m betting on happily ever after, Dameron,” Finn said.

 

Poe’s smile was weak, but he’d be damned if the glint in Finn’s eye wasn’t convincing.  “Me too, babe.  Me, too.”

 

**# # # #**

 

**_Battle Wounds_ , page 247:**

Ari looked out across the grasslands and thought back to his conversation with Ezra years ago.  Ari chuckled.  “You’ll be happy to know, it’s still not on fire,” he whispered.

 

Mykha gave him a confused look. 

 

“Just a joke for Ez.”

 

Mykha nodded.  Ari was forever talking to their fallen comrade.  As far as Mykha could tell, it had to do with their romantic bond.  But as Mykha couldn’t really process romantic bonds, he just chalked it up as one of Ari’s peculiarities, talking to the dead.

 

“Do you need to be alone,” Mykha asked.

 

“No,” Ari said.  “You should stay.”  He smiled, watching the grasses wave in the breeze.  He took in a deep breath.  “It’s going to be a lovely day.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

His smile broadened.  “Faith, Mykha.  Sometimes you have to have a little bit of faith that everything will work out.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week: a fluffy little epilogue, Escape from Jakku


	7. Escape from Jakku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one time they didn’t reenact a romance novel because Poe and Finn discover the one written about them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Or after the angsty last chapter, I needed to end things with a bit of fluff.

 

 

“Wait, what is this?” Finn said, scrolling through the new titles in Poe’s ever-expanding romance collection.

 

Poe saw the novel and his eyes went wide.  He immediately tried to play it off.  “Hmmmm?”

 

Finn’s eyes narrowed.  “Don’t _hmmmmm_ me, Dameron.  You know full well what I’m talking about.  What is this?”  Finn held the datapad out to Poe, who blushed.  He shrugged.  “New romance novel.  Sounded interesting.”

 

“Sounded interesting?   Really?  Let’s take a look, shall we?”  Finn began scrolling through the title.

 

“You know, Jess said that the pilots were going to watch a holo tonight.  We should probably leave now if we want the couch to ourselves.”  Poe stood up.

 

“No way, Dameron.”  Finn settled himself in and pointed to the spot next to him on the bed.  “Let’s read the summary, shall we?”

 

“Let’s not,” Poe said quietly, sitting.

 

Finn read: “A dashing Resistance pilot is captured, tortured, and facing certain death at the hands of the First Order, but then his luck changes when a strapping young Stormtrooper comes to his rescue.  The attraction is instant, but can they trust each other?  Will they be able to _Escape from Jakku_?”  Finn looked up.  “Sound familiar?”

 

“Maybe?”

 

“Maybe,” Finn said, trying to keep his voice even.  “Maybe?  Really?”  Finn flicked through a few pages. 

 

He began reading: “ _Rex strained against the binders on his wrists, his face bloodied from the beating, but he refused to answer the interrogator’s questions.  ‘If you don’t tell us where the map is, we’ll send the Sith lord in to deal with you!’  Rex’s look was defiant.  ‘Do your worst.’  Stormtrooper MX-1189 couldn’t help but be a little impressed at the pilot’s bravado, and a troubling thought took hold—if he could get Rex to a TIE fighter, the two of them could escape and then MX-1189 could explore Rex’s smart mouth to his heart’s content.”_

 

Finn let the datapad drop to his lap as he turned to Poe with his eyebrow raised.  “Shall I continue?”

 

Poe let out a long breath.  “Fine, Finn.  You want to hear me say it?  It’s us.  Okay?  It’s us.  Someone wrote a kriffing romance novel about us.”

 

“Thank you!”  Finn said, validated.  “Now the more important question.  Why in the name of the force did you buy it?”

 

“Really?  That’s what has you upset?  Not that someone wrote this, but that I bought it?”

 

“Oh, Dameron, I’m upset on so many levels right now.  We’re just starting with the easiest,” Finn said.  “So I ask again, why in the name of the force would you buy this?”

 

Poe’s voice was small.  “I was curious.  Aren’t you?”

 

“No.  I was there.  And judging by the cover, the pilot and ex-Stormtrooper are doing it in the TIE fighter.  That didn’t happen, Poe.”

 

“I know that didn’t happen, Finn.  I was there too.”

 

Finn sighed.  “Okay, I’m only going to ask you this once, Poe.  Did you write this?”

 

“What?!?  Kriff no, Finn!  First of all, when would I have the time?  Second, why in the galaxy would I want anyone to know about our sex life?”

 

“Well, technically this isn’t about our sex life.”  Finn flicked through the pages.   “Unless I missed the part where we snuck off right after Takodana and made so much noise the General caught us.”

 

Poe smiled at that.  _Would’ve been nice…_

Poe came out of his fantasy to see that Finn was giving him his _not-now-Dameron_ look.  “Finn, you have to believe me.  I love to read these things.  I occasionally talk my,” he couldn’t help his smile, “ _husband_ into reenacting them.  But I don’t write them.”  Finn lifted his eyebrow suspiciously.  “Finn, I swear.”

 

Finn huffed out a sigh.  “Then who wrote it?  Because I’ll be honest, Dameron, when I read this last night—”

 

“Wait, you’ve already read it?”

 

Finn blushed.  “Yeah, maybe.”

 

“Finn!”

 

“Fine.  Yes, I read it.  I read the whole thing last night while you were away.  Happy?”

 

“You hypocrite!  You’ve been yelling at me for buying it, and you’re just as bad.”  Poe fell back on the bed, clutching his chest.  “I am wounded, sir.”

 

Finn ignored Poe’s theatrics.  “You’ll get over it.”  He pulled Poe back up.  “Anyway, as I was saying, when I read it last night, I noticed that while the facts about our sex life are off, it’s also strangely accurate in other places.”

 

“Hmmmm?”

 

“Okay, so yeah, we didn’t have sex in the TIE fighter.”

 

“But that would be something, wouldn’t it?” Poe said, staring off dreamily.

 

“Focus Poe.”  Finn snapped in front of Poe’s face until Poe came back to reality.  “Like I said, we didn’t have sex in the TIE fighter, and you didn’t ravish me after Takodana.”

 

“Although I wanted to…”

 

“Yeah, I was there, Dameron.  The lip bite was hard to miss.”

 

Poe’s eyes went wide.  “You knew?  Kriff, Finn.”

 

“Seriously, Poe, have you seen your lip bite?  It isn’t subtle.”  Finn stared at his husband and for a moment got lost in those beautiful, bitable lips.  “But that’s not the point.  The point is, the other stuff.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like how you named me using the first two letters of my designation.  How you gave me the jacket.  Or how you hovered over me in the med bay after Starkiller.  Or that one holo night when I gave that speech to the pilots about Stormtroopers having sex…”  Finn’s voice trailed off.  “That speech I gave to the pilots.”  It dawned on him.  “Poe, which one of your kriffing pilots is writing this stuff?”

 

Poe was already up.  “I don’t know, but when I find out, they are going to be on sanitation duty for a year.”

 

**# # # #**

 

Everyone in the room was trying to pretend they took their Commander seriously.  It was hard, though, when what everyone really wanted to do was get their hands on a copy of _Escape from Jakku_ to see what all of the fuss was about.  There were several stifled giggles.

 

Poe stood in front of them doing his best _I’m-in-charge_ stance.  “Come on, fess up.  Who wrote this?”

 

Bastian asked, “Why do you think it was one of us?”

 

Finn stepped forward.  “Because it mentions things that only happened around you guys.”

 

Karé leaned back into her chair.  “But how do you know that you two are the basis of the story?”

 

“They had sex in the TIE fighter!  I told you they did,” Jess said loudly.

 

Another pilot chimed in, “How did that even happen?  Where would you…”

 

Poe put up his hands, “We did not have sex in the—”

 

Another pilot added, “Yeah, like aren’t those things back to back?  Did one of you climb over or something?”

 

Poe shot Finn a look.  _Help!_

 

Finn’s voice cut through the din.  “Listen, we did not have sex in the TIE fighter.”  Poe cleared his throat and Finn refocused.  “But that’s not why we’re here.  One of you wrote this, so just be straight with us.  Who is it?”

 

Iolo stood.  “I think the bigger question, Commander, is how did you find it?”

 

Jess smiled.  “Yeah, read a lot of romance novels, Poe?”

 

Poe stared her back down.  “How’d you know about the TIE fighter, Testor?”  Jess’s smile fell.

 

“No, don’t change the subject, Poe,” Iolo said.  “How did you know about the book?”

 

It was out of Poe’s mouth before he could help it.  “Finn found it.”

 

Finn shot him a _thanks-for-throwing-me-under-the-bus_ look.

 

“And I’m guessing it was Finn’s idea to reenact _The Pirate and the Prince_ in that decommissioned transport last year?” Snap asked.

 

Poe turned beet red.  Several of the pilots started making obscene sounds.

 

Finn smiled.  “Wait a second, Snap.  What do you know about _The Pirate and the Prince_?”

 

“Ummmmm…”  It was Snap’s turn to go red.  “I might have heard about it from someone…”

 

“Really?” Finn said.  “Well enough to know when someone was reenacting it?”

 

Snap shot back, “Well, you were wearing the robes, and the two of you were really loud.”

 

“The robes,” Karé asked.  “What robes?  There were robes?”

 

Poe’s face was in his hands, but Finn looked supremely satisfied.  “You’re Twem-mee Lynix!”

 

“Toombee Lynx?” Jess said.  “What the—”

 

Finn continued, “Twem-mee Lynix, the romance novelist.  Lynix wrote _The Pirate and the Prince_ and _Cantina of Love_ and _Escape from Jakku_.”

 

“And it’s an anagram of Temmin Wexley,” Karé added.  She winked at her boyfriend.

 

Snap shot her an evil look and then felt Poe’s eyes on him.  “Look, it’s just a side job to make a little extra money, and you have to admit that the way you and Finn met, it just…”  He trailed off. 

 

Poe rarely got angry with his pilots, but right now, he looked like he was going to explode.  “Snap.  Hall.  Now,” Poe said in a low voice.

 

As Snap rose, Iolo interjected, “Let me see if I’ve got this straight.  Snap is a romance novelist, and Poe, Finn, Jess, and who knows who else are all reading his books on the side.  Do I have that right?”

 

“Sounds about right to me,” Karé said.

 

“Anyone else have anything they want to confess while we’re here,” Iolo asked.  “Any secret holo porn stars or anyone dabbling in erotic ice sculptures?”    


There were a few snickers from the group.  Iolo made sure his eyes locked on Poe’s.  Poe got the message and relaxed.  He turned to Snap.  “Just keep me and Finn out of it from now on, okay?  It’s disconcerting to read about yourself in those things.  It’s creepy when it’s about people you know.”

 

“Like you’ve never read _The General and the Flyboy_ ,” Jess said.

 

“The what and the what?” Iolo asked. 

 

“It’s a novel about Skywalker and Solo,” Finn said.

 

“Seriously, Jess, you and your crush on Skywalker,” Bastian said.

 

“Skywalker?” came several voices in unison.

 

“Poe too,” Finn said under his breath.

 

Snap laughed and Poe said, “Still your commanding officer, Wexley.”

 

Iolo said, “Holo night?  That is what we came here for, yes?”  There was a rumble of agreement amongst the pilots.

 

“Really?  No one wants to hear about the Commander and Finn reenacting a romance novel in the hangar,” Karé asked.  "With robes?"

 

Bastian said, “No, Karé.  The less I know about their sex life, the better.”

 

“Then don’t read _Escape from Jakku_ ,” Jess said.

 

Poe grumbled, “We didn’t do it in the TIE fighter!”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters will go up on Tuesdays, and tags will be updated with each chapter.
> 
> As always, I love comments and kudos.
> 
> And if you want to find me on tumblr, I'm @cha-llamala.


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